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Smail C, Montgomery SB. RNA Sequencing in Disease Diagnosis. Annu Rev Genomics Hum Genet 2024; 25:353-367. [PMID: 38360541 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-genom-021623-121812] [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: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) enables the accurate measurement of multiple transcriptomic phenotypes for modeling the impacts of disease variants. Advances in technologies, experimental protocols, and analysis strategies are rapidly expanding the application of RNA-seq to identify disease biomarkers, tissue- and cell-type-specific impacts, and the spatial localization of disease-associated mechanisms. Ongoing international efforts to construct biobank-scale transcriptomic repositories with matched genomic data across diverse population groups are further increasing the utility of RNA-seq approaches by providing large-scale normative reference resources. The availability of these resources, combined with improved computational analysis pipelines, has enabled the detection of aberrant transcriptomic phenotypes underlying rare diseases. Further expansion of these resources, across both somatic and developmental tissues, is expected to soon provide unprecedented insights to resolve disease origin, mechanism of action, and causal gene contributions, suggesting the continued high utility of RNA-seq in disease diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Craig Smail
- Genomic Medicine Center, Children's Mercy Research Institute, Children's Mercy Kansas City, Kansas City, Missouri, USA;
| | - Stephen B Montgomery
- Department of Biomedical Data Science, Department of Genetics, and Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA;
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2
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Li B, Cai Y, Chen C, Li G, Zhang M, Lu Z, Zhang F, Huang J, Fan L, Ning C, Li Y, Wang W, Geng H, Liu Y, Chen S, Li H, Yang S, Zhang H, Tian W, Zhu Z, Xu B, Li H, Li H, Jin M, Wang X, Zhang S, Liu J, Huang C, Yang X, Wei Y, Zhu Y, Tian J, Miao X. Genetic Variants That Impact Alternative Polyadenylation in Cancer Represent Candidate Causal Risk Loci. Cancer Res 2023; 83:3650-3666. [PMID: 37669142 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-23-0251] [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: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023]
Abstract
Alternative polyadenylation (APA) is emerging as a major mechanism of posttranscriptional regulation. APA can impact the development and progression of cancer, suggesting that the genetic determinants of APA might play an important role in regulating cancer risk. Here, we depicted a pan-cancer atlas of human APA quantitative trait loci (apaQTL), containing approximately 0.7 million apaQTLs across 32 cancer types. Systematic multiomics analyses indicated that cancer apaQTLs could contribute to APA regulation by altering poly(A) motifs, RNA-binding proteins (RBP), and chromatin regulatory elements and were preferentially enriched in genome-wide association studies (GWAS)-identified cancer susceptibility loci. Moreover, apaQTL-related genes (aGene) were broadly related to cancer signaling pathways, high mutational burden, immune infiltration, and drug response, implicating their potential as therapeutic targets. Furthermore, apaQTLs were mapped in Chinese colorectal cancer tumor tissues and then screened for functional apaQTLs associated with colorectal cancer risk in 17,789 cases and 19,951 controls using GWAS-ChIP data, with independent validation in a large-scale population consisting of 6,024 cases and 10,022 controls. A multi-ancestry-associated apaQTL variant rs1020670 with a C>G change in DNM1L was identified, and the G allele contributed to an increased risk of colorectal cancer. Mechanistically, the risk variant promoted aberrant APA and facilitated higher usage of DNM1L proximal poly(A) sites mediated by the RBP CSTF2T, which led to higher expression of DNM1L with a short 3'UTR. This stabilized DNM1L to upregulate its expression, provoking colorectal cancer cell proliferation. Collectively, these findings generate a resource for understanding APA regulation and the genetic basis of human cancers, providing insights into cancer etiology. SIGNIFICANCE Cancer risk is mediated by alternative polyadenylation quantitative trait loci, including the rs1020670-G variant that promotes alternative polyadenylation of DNM1L and increases colorectal cancer risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Li
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yimin Cai
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Can Chen
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Gaoyuan Li
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Ming Zhang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Zequn Lu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Fuwei Zhang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Jinyu Huang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Linyun Fan
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Caibo Ning
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yanmin Li
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Wenzhuo Wang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Hui Geng
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yizhuo Liu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Shuoni Chen
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Hanting Li
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Shuhui Yang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Heng Zhang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Wen Tian
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhongchao Zhu
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery Department, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Bin Xu
- Cancer Center, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Heng Li
- Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Haijie Li
- Department of Gastrointestinal Cancer Research Institute, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Meng Jin
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaoyang Wang
- Department of Cancer Epidemiology, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University & Henan Cancer Hospital, Henan Engineering Research Center of Cancer Prevention and Control, Henan International Joint Laboratory of Cancer Prevention, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Shaokai Zhang
- Department of Cancer Epidemiology, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University & Henan Cancer Hospital, Henan Engineering Research Center of Cancer Prevention and Control, Henan International Joint Laboratory of Cancer Prevention, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Jiuyang Liu
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Chaoqun Huang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaojun Yang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yongchang Wei
- Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology, Hubei Cancer Clinical Study Center, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Ying Zhu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Jianbo Tian
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaoping Miao
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery Department, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Personalized Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
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3
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Kerimov N, Tambets R, Hayhurst JD, Rahu I, Kolberg P, Raudvere U, Kuzmin I, Chowdhary A, Vija A, Teras HJ, Kanai M, Ulirsch J, Ryten M, Hardy J, Guelfi S, Trabzuni D, Kim-Hellmuth S, Rayner W, Finucane H, Peterson H, Mosaku A, Parkinson H, Alasoo K. eQTL Catalogue 2023: New datasets, X chromosome QTLs, and improved detection and visualisation of transcript-level QTLs. PLoS Genet 2023; 19:e1010932. [PMID: 37721944 PMCID: PMC10538656 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010932] [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: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The eQTL Catalogue is an open database of uniformly processed human molecular quantitative trait loci (QTLs). We are continuously updating the resource to further increase its utility for interpreting genetic associations with complex traits. Over the past two years, we have increased the number of uniformly processed studies from 21 to 31 and added X chromosome QTLs for 19 compatible studies. We have also implemented Leafcutter to directly identify splice-junction usage QTLs in all RNA sequencing datasets. Finally, to improve the interpretability of transcript-level QTLs, we have developed static QTL coverage plots that visualise the association between the genotype and average RNA sequencing read coverage in the region for all 1.7 million fine mapped associations. To illustrate the utility of these updates to the eQTL Catalogue, we performed colocalisation analysis between vitamin D levels in the UK Biobank and all molecular QTLs in the eQTL Catalogue. Although most GWAS loci colocalised both with eQTLs and transcript-level QTLs, we found that visual inspection could sometimes be used to distinguish primary splicing QTLs from those that appear to be secondary consequences of large-effect gene expression QTLs. While these visually confirmed primary splicing QTLs explain just 6/53 of the colocalising signals, they are significantly less pleiotropic than eQTLs and identify a prioritised causal gene in 4/6 cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nurlan Kerimov
- Institute of Computer Science, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
- Open Targets, South Building, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Ralf Tambets
- Institute of Computer Science, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - James D. Hayhurst
- Open Targets, South Building, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Ida Rahu
- Institute of Computer Science, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Peep Kolberg
- Institute of Computer Science, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Uku Raudvere
- Institute of Computer Science, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Ivan Kuzmin
- Institute of Computer Science, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Anshika Chowdhary
- Institute of Translational Genomics, Helmholtz Munich, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Andreas Vija
- Institute of Computer Science, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Hans J. Teras
- Institute of Computer Science, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Masahiro Kanai
- Analytic and Translational Genetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Jacob Ulirsch
- Analytic and Translational Genetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Mina Ryten
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Medicine, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - John Hardy
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Medicine, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sebastian Guelfi
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Medicine, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Daniah Trabzuni
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Medicine, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah Kim-Hellmuth
- Institute of Translational Genomics, Helmholtz Munich, Neuherberg, Germany
- Department of Pediatrics, Dr. von Hauner Children’s Hospital, University Hospital LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - William Rayner
- Institute of Translational Genomics, Helmholtz Munich, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Hilary Finucane
- Analytic and Translational Genetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Hedi Peterson
- Institute of Computer Science, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Abayomi Mosaku
- Open Targets, South Building, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Helen Parkinson
- Open Targets, South Building, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Kaur Alasoo
- Institute of Computer Science, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
- Open Targets, South Building, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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4
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Kerimov N, Tambets R, Hayhurst JD, Rahu I, Kolberg P, Raudvere U, Kuzmin I, Chowdhary A, Vija A, Teras HJ, Kanai M, Ulirsch J, Ryten M, Hardy J, Guelfi S, Trabzuni D, Kim-Hellmuth S, Rayner W, Finucane H, Peterson H, Mosaku A, Parkinson H, Alasoo K. Systematic visualisation of molecular QTLs reveals variant mechanisms at GWAS loci. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.06.535816. [PMID: 37066341 PMCID: PMC10104061 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.06.535816] [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
Splicing quantitative trait loci (QTLs) have been implicated as a common mechanism underlying complex trait associations. However, utilising splicing QTLs in target discovery and prioritisation has been challenging due to extensive data normalisation which often renders the direction of the genetic effect as well as its magnitude difficult to interpret. This is further complicated by the fact that strong expression QTLs often manifest as weak splicing QTLs and vice versa, making it difficult to uniquely identify the underlying molecular mechanism at each locus. We find that these ambiguities can be mitigated by visualising the association between the genotype and average RNA sequencing read coverage in the region. Here, we generate these QTL coverage plots for 1.7 million molecular QTL associations in the eQTL Catalogue identified with five quantification methods. We illustrate the utility of these QTL coverage plots by performing colocalisation between vitamin D levels in the UK Biobank and all molecular QTLs in the eQTL Catalogue. We find that while visually confirmed splicing QTLs explain just 6/53 of the colocalising signals, they are significantly less pleiotropic than eQTLs and identify a prioritised causal gene in 4/6 cases. All our association summary statistics and QTL coverage plots are freely available at https://www.ebi.ac.uk/eqtl/.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nurlan Kerimov
- Institute of Computer Science, University of Tartu, Tartu, 51009, Estonia
- Open Targets, South Building, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Ralf Tambets
- Institute of Computer Science, University of Tartu, Tartu, 51009, Estonia
| | - James D Hayhurst
- Open Targets, South Building, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Ida Rahu
- Institute of Computer Science, University of Tartu, Tartu, 51009, Estonia
| | - Peep Kolberg
- Institute of Computer Science, University of Tartu, Tartu, 51009, Estonia
| | - Uku Raudvere
- Institute of Computer Science, University of Tartu, Tartu, 51009, Estonia
| | - Ivan Kuzmin
- Institute of Computer Science, University of Tartu, Tartu, 51009, Estonia
| | - Anshika Chowdhary
- Institute of Translational Genomics, Helmholtz Munich, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Andreas Vija
- Institute of Computer Science, University of Tartu, Tartu, 51009, Estonia
| | - Hans J Teras
- Institute of Computer Science, University of Tartu, Tartu, 51009, Estonia
| | - Masahiro Kanai
- Analytic and Translational Genetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jacob Ulirsch
- Analytic and Translational Genetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Mina Ryten
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Medicine, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London
| | - John Hardy
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Medicine, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London
| | - Sebastian Guelfi
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Medicine, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London
| | - Daniah Trabzuni
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Medicine, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London
| | - Sarah Kim-Hellmuth
- Institute of Translational Genomics, Helmholtz Munich, Neuherberg, Germany
- Department of Pediatrics, Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital, University Hospital LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Will Rayner
- Institute of Translational Genomics, Helmholtz Munich, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Hilary Finucane
- Analytic and Translational Genetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Hedi Peterson
- Institute of Computer Science, University of Tartu, Tartu, 51009, Estonia
| | - Abayomi Mosaku
- Open Targets, South Building, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Helen Parkinson
- Open Targets, South Building, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Kaur Alasoo
- Institute of Computer Science, University of Tartu, Tartu, 51009, Estonia
- Open Targets, South Building, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
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5
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Lusk R, Hoffman PL, Mahaffey S, Rosean S, Smith H, Silhavy J, Pravenec M, Tabakoff B, Saba LM. Beyond Genes: Inclusion of Alternative Splicing and Alternative Polyadenylation to Assess the Genetic Architecture of Predisposition to Voluntary Alcohol Consumption in Brain of the HXB/BXH Recombinant Inbred Rat Panel. Front Genet 2022; 13:821026. [PMID: 35368676 PMCID: PMC8965255 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.821026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Post transcriptional modifications of RNA are powerful mechanisms by which eukaryotes expand their genetic diversity. For instance, researchers estimate that most transcripts in humans undergo alternative splicing and alternative polyadenylation. These splicing events produce distinct RNA molecules, which in turn yield distinct protein isoforms and/or influence RNA stability, translation, nuclear export, and RNA/protein cellular localization. Due to their pervasiveness and impact, we hypothesized that alternative splicing and alternative polyadenylation in brain can contribute to a predisposition for voluntary alcohol consumption. Using the HXB/BXH recombinant inbred rat panel (a subset of the Hybrid Rat Diversity Panel), we generated over one terabyte of brain RNA sequencing data (total RNA) and identified novel splice variants (via StringTie) and alternative polyadenylation sites (via aptardi) to determine the transcriptional landscape in the brains of these animals. After establishing an analysis pipeline to ascertain high quality transcripts, we quantitated transcripts and integrated genotype data to identify candidate transcript coexpression networks and individual candidate transcripts associated with predisposition to voluntary alcohol consumption in the two-bottle choice paradigm. For genes that were previously associated with this trait (e.g., Lrap, Ift81, and P2rx4) (Saba et al., Febs. J., 282, 3556–3578, Saba et al., Genes. Brain. Behav., 20, e12698), we were able to distinguish between transcript variants to provide further information about the specific isoforms related to the trait. We also identified additional candidate transcripts associated with the trait of voluntary alcohol consumption (i.e., isoforms of Mapkapk5, Aldh1a7, and Map3k7). Consistent with our previous work, our results indicate that transcripts and networks related to inflammation and the immune system in brain can be linked to voluntary alcohol consumption. Overall, we have established a pipeline for including the quantitation of alternative splicing and alternative polyadenylation variants in the transcriptome in the analysis of the relationship between the transcriptome and complex traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Lusk
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Paula L. Hoffman
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Spencer Mahaffey
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Samuel Rosean
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Harry Smith
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Jan Silhavy
- Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czechia
| | - Michal Pravenec
- Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czechia
| | - Boris Tabakoff
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Laura M. Saba
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
- *Correspondence: Laura M. Saba,
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6
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Li L, Huang KL, Gao Y, Cui Y, Wang G, Elrod ND, Li Y, Chen YE, Ji P, Peng F, Russell WK, Wagner EJ, Li W. An atlas of alternative polyadenylation quantitative trait loci contributing to complex trait and disease heritability. Nat Genet 2021; 53:994-1005. [PMID: 33986536 DOI: 10.1038/s41588-021-00864-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2020] [Accepted: 04/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Genome-wide association studies have identified thousands of noncoding variants associated with human traits and diseases. However, the functional interpretation of these variants is a major challenge. Here, we constructed a multi-tissue atlas of human 3'UTR alternative polyadenylation (APA) quantitative trait loci (3'aQTLs), containing approximately 0.4 million common genetic variants associated with the APA of target genes, identified in 46 tissues isolated from 467 individuals (Genotype-Tissue Expression Project). Mechanistically, 3'aQTLs can alter poly(A) motifs, RNA secondary structure and RNA-binding protein-binding sites, leading to thousands of APA changes. Our CRISPR-based experiments indicate that such 3'aQTLs can alter APA regulation. Furthermore, we demonstrate that mapping 3'aQTLs can identify APA regulators, such as La-related protein 4. Finally, 3'aQTLs are colocalized with approximately 16.1% of trait-associated variants and are largely distinct from other QTLs, such as expression QTLs. Together, our findings show that 3'aQTLs contribute substantially to the molecular mechanisms underlying human complex traits and diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Li
- Division of Computational Biomedicine, Department of Biological Chemistry, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Kai-Lieh Huang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Yipeng Gao
- Graduate Program in Quantitative and Computational Biosciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Ya Cui
- Division of Computational Biomedicine, Department of Biological Chemistry, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Gao Wang
- The Gertrude H. Sergievsky Center and Department of Neurology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Nathan D Elrod
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Yumei Li
- Division of Computational Biomedicine, Department of Biological Chemistry, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Yiling Elaine Chen
- Department of Statistics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Ping Ji
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Fanglue Peng
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - William K Russell
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Eric J Wagner
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.
| | - Wei Li
- Division of Computational Biomedicine, Department of Biological Chemistry, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
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7
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Roos D, de Boer M. Mutations in cis that affect mRNA synthesis, processing and translation. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2021; 1867:166166. [PMID: 33971252 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2021.166166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Revised: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Genetic mutations that cause hereditary diseases usually affect the composition of the transcribed mRNA and its encoded protein, leading to instability of the mRNA and/or the protein. Sometimes, however, such mutations affect the synthesis, the processing or the translation of the mRNA, with similar disastrous effects. We here present an overview of mRNA synthesis, its posttranscriptional modification and its translation into protein. We then indicate which elements in these processes are known to be affected by pathogenic mutations, but we restrict our review to mutations in cis, in the DNA of the gene that encodes the affected protein. These mutations can be in enhancer or promoter regions of the gene, which act as binding sites for transcription factors involved in pre-mRNA synthesis. We also describe mutations in polyadenylation sequences and in splice site regions, exonic and intronic, involved in intron removal. Finally, we include mutations in the Kozak sequence in mRNA, which is involved in protein synthesis. We provide examples of genetic diseases caused by mutations in these DNA regions and refer to databases to help identify these regions. The over-all knowledge of mRNA synthesis, processing and translation is essential for improvement of the diagnosis of patients with genetic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dirk Roos
- Sanquin Blood Supply Organization, Dept. of Blood Cell Research, Landsteiner Laboratory, Amsterdam University Medical Centre, location AMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Martin de Boer
- Sanquin Blood Supply Organization, Dept. of Blood Cell Research, Landsteiner Laboratory, Amsterdam University Medical Centre, location AMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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8
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Aptardi predicts polyadenylation sites in sample-specific transcriptomes using high-throughput RNA sequencing and DNA sequence. Nat Commun 2021; 12:1652. [PMID: 33712618 PMCID: PMC7955126 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-21894-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Annotation of polyadenylation sites from short-read RNA sequencing alone is a challenging computational task. Other algorithms rooted in DNA sequence predict potential polyadenylation sites; however, in vivo expression of a particular site varies based on a myriad of conditions. Here, we introduce aptardi (alternative polyadenylation transcriptome analysis from RNA-Seq data and DNA sequence information), which leverages both DNA sequence and RNA sequencing in a machine learning paradigm to predict expressed polyadenylation sites. Specifically, as input aptardi takes DNA nucleotide sequence, genome-aligned RNA-Seq data, and an initial transcriptome. The program evaluates these initial transcripts to identify expressed polyadenylation sites in the biological sample and refines transcript 3'-ends accordingly. The average precision of the aptardi model is twice that of a standard transcriptome assembler. In particular, the recall of the aptardi model (the proportion of true polyadenylation sites detected by the algorithm) is improved by over three-fold. Also, the model-trained using the Human Brain Reference RNA commercial standard-performs well when applied to RNA-sequencing samples from different tissues and different mammalian species. Finally, aptardi's input is simple to compile and its output is easily amenable to downstream analyses such as quantitation and differential expression.
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9
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Population-scale genetic control of alternative polyadenylation and its association with human diseases. QUANTITATIVE BIOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.15302/j-qb-021-0252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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10
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Alternative Polyadenylation: a new frontier in post transcriptional regulation. Biomark Res 2020; 8:67. [PMID: 33292571 PMCID: PMC7690165 DOI: 10.1186/s40364-020-00249-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Polyadenylation of pre-messenger RNA (pre-mRNA) specific sites and termination of their downstream transcriptions are signaled by unique sequence motif structures such as AAUAAA and its auxiliary elements. Alternative polyadenylation (APA) is an important post-transcriptional regulatory mechanism that processes RNA products depending on its 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) specific sequence signal. APA processing can generate several mRNA isoforms from a single gene, which may have different biological functions on their target gene. As a result, cellular genomic stability, proliferation capability, and transformation feasibility could all be affected. Furthermore, APA modulation regulates disease initiation and progression. APA status could potentially act as a biomarker for disease diagnosis, severity stratification, and prognosis forecast. While the advance of modern throughout technologies, such as next generation-sequencing (NGS) and single-cell sequencing techniques, have enriched our knowledge about APA, much of APA biological process is unknown and pending for further investigation. Herein, we review the current knowledge on APA and how its regulatory complex factors (CFI/IIm, CPSF, CSTF, and RBPs) work together to determine RNA splicing location, cell cycle velocity, microRNA processing, and oncogenesis regulation. We also discuss various APA experiment strategies and the future direction of APA research.
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11
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Wachs AS, Bohne J. Two sides of the same medal: Noncoding mutations reveal new pathological mechanisms and insights into the regulation of gene expression. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-RNA 2020; 12:e1616. [PMID: 32633083 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2020] [Revised: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Noncoding sequences constitute the major part of the human genome and also of pre-mRNAs. Single nucleotide variants in these regions are often overlooked, but may be responsible for much of the variation of phenotypes observed. Mutations in the noncoding part of pre-mRNAs often reveal new and meaningful insights into the regulation of cellular gene expression. Thus, the mechanistic analysis of the pathological mechanism of such mutations will both foster a deeper understanding of the disease and the underlying cellular pathways. Even synonymous mutations can cause diseases, since the primary mRNA sequence not only encodes amino acids, but also encrypts information on RNA-binding proteins and secondary structure. In fact, the RNA sequence directs assembly of a specific mRNP complex, which in turn dictates the fate of the mRNA or regulates its biogenesis. The accumulation of genomic sequence information is increasing at a rapid pace. However, much of the diversity uncovered may not explain the phenotype of a certain syndrome or disease. For this reason, we also emphasize the value of mechanistic studies on pathological mechanisms being complementary to genome-wide studies and bioinformatic approaches. This article is categorized under: RNA Processing > Splicing Regulation/Alternative Splicing RNA Processing > 3' End Processing RNA in Disease and Development > RNA in Disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amelie S Wachs
- Institute of Virology, Hannover Medical School, Hanover, Germany
| | - Jens Bohne
- Institute of Virology, Hannover Medical School, Hanover, Germany
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12
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Mittleman BE, Pott S, Warland S, Zeng T, Mu Z, Kaur M, Gilad Y, Li Y. Alternative polyadenylation mediates genetic regulation of gene expression. eLife 2020; 9:57492. [PMID: 32584258 PMCID: PMC7338057 DOI: 10.7554/elife.57492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 06/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Little is known about co-transcriptional or post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms linking noncoding variation to variation in organismal traits. To begin addressing this gap, we used 3’ Seq to study the impact of genetic variation on alternative polyadenylation (APA) in the nuclear and total mRNA fractions of 52 HapMap Yoruba human lymphoblastoid cell lines. We mapped 602 APA quantitative trait loci (apaQTLs) at 10% FDR, of which 152 were nuclear specific. Effect sizes at intronic apaQTLs are negatively correlated with eQTL effect sizes. These observations suggest genetic variants can decrease mRNA expression levels by increasing usage of intronic PAS. We also identified 24 apaQTLs associated with protein levels, but not mRNA expression. Finally, we found that 19% of apaQTLs can be associated with disease. Thus, our work demonstrates that APA links genetic variation to variation in gene expression, protein expression, and disease risk, and reveals uncharted modes of genetic regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Briana E Mittleman
- Genetics, Genomics, and Systems Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, United States
| | - Sebastian Pott
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Chicago, Chicago, United States
| | - Shane Warland
- Section of Genetic Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, United States
| | - Tony Zeng
- Section of Genetic Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, United States
| | - Zepeng Mu
- Genetics, Genomics, and Systems Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, United States
| | - Mayher Kaur
- Section of Genetic Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, United States
| | - Yoav Gilad
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Chicago, Chicago, United States.,Section of Genetic Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, United States
| | - Yang Li
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Chicago, Chicago, United States.,Section of Genetic Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, United States
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13
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Nourse J, Spada S, Danckwardt S. Emerging Roles of RNA 3'-end Cleavage and Polyadenylation in Pathogenesis, Diagnosis and Therapy of Human Disorders. Biomolecules 2020; 10:biom10060915. [PMID: 32560344 PMCID: PMC7356254 DOI: 10.3390/biom10060915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Revised: 06/10/2020] [Accepted: 06/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
A crucial feature of gene expression involves RNA processing to produce 3′ ends through a process termed 3′ end cleavage and polyadenylation (CPA). This ensures the nascent RNA molecule can exit the nucleus and be translated to ultimately give rise to a protein which can execute a function. Further, alternative polyadenylation (APA) can produce distinct transcript isoforms, profoundly expanding the complexity of the transcriptome. CPA is carried out by multi-component protein complexes interacting with multiple RNA motifs and is tightly coupled to transcription, other steps of RNA processing, and even epigenetic modifications. CPA and APA contribute to the maintenance of a multitude of diverse physiological processes. It is therefore not surprising that disruptions of CPA and APA can lead to devastating disorders. Here, we review potential CPA and APA mechanisms involving both loss and gain of function that can have tremendous impacts on health and disease. Ultimately we highlight the emerging diagnostic and therapeutic potential CPA and APA offer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie Nourse
- Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, 55131 Mainz, Germany; (J.N.); (S.S.)
- Center for Thrombosis and Hemostasis (CTH), University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, 55131 Mainz, Germany
| | - Stefano Spada
- Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, 55131 Mainz, Germany; (J.N.); (S.S.)
- Center for Thrombosis and Hemostasis (CTH), University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, 55131 Mainz, Germany
| | - Sven Danckwardt
- Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, 55131 Mainz, Germany; (J.N.); (S.S.)
- Center for Thrombosis and Hemostasis (CTH), University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, 55131 Mainz, Germany
- German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Rhine-Main, Germany
- Correspondence:
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14
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A Multi-Omics Perspective of Quantitative Trait Loci in Precision Medicine. Trends Genet 2020; 36:318-336. [PMID: 32294413 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2020.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2019] [Revised: 01/05/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis is an important approach to investigate the effects of genetic variants identified through an increasing number of large-scale, multidimensional 'omics data sets. In this 'big data' era, the research community has identified a significant number of molecular QTLs (molQTLs) and increased our understanding of their effects. Herein, we review multiple categories of molQTLs, including those associated with transcriptome, post-transcriptional regulation, epigenetics, proteomics, metabolomics, and the microbiome. We summarize approaches to identify molQTLs and to infer their causal effects. We further discuss the integrative analysis of molQTLs through a multi-omics perspective. Our review highlights future opportunities to better understand the functional significance of genetic variants and to utilize the discovery of molQTLs in precision medicine.
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15
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Vainberg Slutskin I, Weinberger A, Segal E. Sequence determinants of polyadenylation-mediated regulation. Genome Res 2019; 29:1635-1647. [PMID: 31530582 PMCID: PMC6771402 DOI: 10.1101/gr.247312.118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2018] [Accepted: 08/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The cleavage and polyadenylation reaction is a crucial step in transcription termination and pre-mRNA maturation in human cells. Despite extensive research, the encoding of polyadenylation-mediated regulation of gene expression within the DNA sequence is not well understood. Here, we utilized a massively parallel reporter assay to inspect the effect of over 12,000 rationally designed polyadenylation sequences (PASs) on reporter gene expression and cleavage efficiency. We find that the PAS sequence can modulate gene expression by over five orders of magnitude. By using a uniquely designed scanning mutagenesis data set, we gain mechanistic insight into various modes of action by which the cleavage efficiency affects the sensitivity or robustness of the PAS to mutation. Furthermore, we employ motif discovery to identify both known and novel sequence motifs associated with PAS-mediated regulation. By leveraging the large scale of our data, we train a deep learning model for the highly accurate prediction of RNA levels from DNA sequence alone (R = 0.83). Moreover, we devise unique approaches for predicting exact cleavage sites for our reporter constructs and for endogenous transcripts. Taken together, our results expand our understanding of PAS-mediated regulation, and provide an unprecedented resource for analyzing and predicting PAS for regulatory genomics applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilya Vainberg Slutskin
- Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel.,Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Adina Weinberger
- Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel.,Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Eran Segal
- Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel.,Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
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16
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Mariella E, Marotta F, Grassi E, Gilotto S, Provero P. The Length of the Expressed 3' UTR Is an Intermediate Molecular Phenotype Linking Genetic Variants to Complex Diseases. Front Genet 2019; 10:714. [PMID: 31475030 PMCID: PMC6707137 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2019.00714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2019] [Accepted: 07/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In the last decades, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have uncovered tens of thousands of associations between common genetic variants and complex diseases. However, these statistical associations can rarely be interpreted functionally and mechanistically. As the majority of the disease-associated variants are located far from coding sequences, even the relevant gene is often unclear. A way to gain insight into the relevant mechanisms is to study the genetic determinants of intermediate molecular phenotypes, such as gene expression and transcript structure. We propose a computational strategy to discover genetic variants affecting the relative expression of alternative 3′ untranslated region (UTR) isoforms, generated through alternative polyadenylation, a widespread posttranscriptional regulatory mechanism known to have relevant functional consequences. When applied to a large dataset in which whole genome and RNA sequencing data are available for 373 European individuals, 2,530 genes with alternative polyadenylation quantitative trait loci (apaQTL) were identified. We analyze and discuss possible mechanisms of action of these variants, and we show that they are significantly enriched in GWAS hits, in particular those concerning immune-related and neurological disorders. Our results point to an important role for genetically determined alternative polyadenylation in affecting predisposition to complex diseases, and suggest new ways to extract functional information from GWAS data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Mariella
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Federico Marotta
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Elena Grassi
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Stefano Gilotto
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Paolo Provero
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.,Center for Tranlational Genomics and Bioinformatics, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
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17
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Zhou X, Zhang Y, Michal JJ, Qu L, Zhang S, Wildung MR, Du W, Pouchnik DJ, Zhao H, Xia Y, Shi H, Ji G, Davis JF, Smith GD, Griswold MD, Harland RM, Jiang Z. Alternative polyadenylation coordinates embryonic development, sexual dimorphism and longitudinal growth in Xenopus tropicalis. Cell Mol Life Sci 2019; 76:2185-2198. [PMID: 30729254 PMCID: PMC6597005 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-019-03036-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2018] [Revised: 01/09/2019] [Accepted: 01/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
RNA alternative polyadenylation contributes to the complexity of information transfer from genome to phenome, thus amplifying gene function. Here, we report the first X. tropicalis resource with 127,914 alternative polyadenylation (APA) sites derived from embryos and adults. Overall, APA networks play central roles in coordinating the maternal-zygotic transition (MZT) in embryos, sexual dimorphism in adults and longitudinal growth from embryos to adults. APA sites coordinate reprogramming in embryos before the MZT, but developmental events after the MZT due to zygotic genome activation. The APA transcriptomes of young adults are more variable than growing adults and male frog APA transcriptomes are more divergent than females. The APA profiles of young females were similar to embryos before the MZT. Enriched pathways in developing embryos were distinct across the MZT and noticeably segregated from adults. Briefly, our results suggest that the minimal functional units in genomes are alternative transcripts as opposed to genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Zhou
- Department of Animal Sciences and Center for Reproductive Biology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164-7620, USA
- College of Animal Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yangzi Zhang
- Department of Animal Sciences and Center for Reproductive Biology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164-7620, USA
| | - Jennifer J Michal
- Department of Animal Sciences and Center for Reproductive Biology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164-7620, USA
| | - Lujiang Qu
- Department of Animal Sciences and Center for Reproductive Biology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164-7620, USA
- College of Animal Sciences and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Shuwen Zhang
- Department of Animal Sciences and Center for Reproductive Biology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164-7620, USA
| | - Mark R Wildung
- Laboratory for Biotechnology and Bioanalysis, Center for Reproductive Biology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Weiwei Du
- Laboratory for Biotechnology and Bioanalysis, Center for Reproductive Biology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Derek J Pouchnik
- Laboratory for Biotechnology and Bioanalysis, Center for Reproductive Biology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Hui Zhao
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yin Xia
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Honghua Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Guoli Ji
- Department of Automation, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Jon F Davis
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Gary D Smith
- Departments of OB/GYN, Physiology, and Urology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Michael D Griswold
- Laboratory for Biotechnology and Bioanalysis, Center for Reproductive Biology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Richard M Harland
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Zhihua Jiang
- Department of Animal Sciences and Center for Reproductive Biology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164-7620, USA.
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18
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Ye C, Zhou Q, Hong Y, Li QQ. Role of alternative polyadenylation dynamics in acute myeloid leukaemia at single-cell resolution. RNA Biol 2019; 16:785-797. [PMID: 30810468 DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2019.1586139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Alternative polyadenylation (APA) has been discovered to play regulatory roles in the development of many cancer cells through preferential addition of a poly(A) tail at specific sites of pre-mRNA. A recent study found that APA was involved in the mediation of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). However, unlike gene expression heterogeneity, little attention has been directed toward variations in single-cell APA for different cell types during AML development. Here, we used single-cell RNA-seq data of a massive population of 16,843 bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMCs) from healthy and AML patient samples to investigate dynamic APA usage in different cell types. Abnormalities of APA dynamics in the BMMCs from AML patient samples were uncovered compared to the stable APA dynamics in samples from healthy individuals, as well as lower APA diversity between eight cell types in AML patients. Genes with APA dynamics specific to the AML samples were significantly enriched in cellular signal transduction pathways that contribute to AML development. Moreover, many leukaemic cell marker genes such as NF-κB, GATA2 and IAP-Family genes exhibited APA dynamics that specifically affected abnormal proliferation and differentiation of leukemic BMMCs. Additionally, mature erythroid cells displayed greater APA dynamics and global 3' UTR shortening compared with other cell types. Our results revealed extensive involvement of APA regulation in leukemia development and erythropoiesis at the single-cell level, providing a high-resolution atlas to navigate cellular mRNA processing landscapes of differentiated cells in AML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Congting Ye
- a Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems , College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University , Xiamen , Fujian , China
| | - Qian Zhou
- a Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems , College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University , Xiamen , Fujian , China.,b Graduate College of Biomedical Sciences , Western University of Health Sciences , Pomona , CA , USA
| | - Yiling Hong
- c College of Veterinary Medicine , Western University of Health Sciences , Pomona , CA , USA
| | - Qingshun Quinn Li
- a Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems , College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University , Xiamen , Fujian , China.,b Graduate College of Biomedical Sciences , Western University of Health Sciences , Pomona , CA , USA
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19
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MacDonald CC. Tissue-specific mechanisms of alternative polyadenylation: Testis, brain, and beyond (2018 update). WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-RNA 2019; 10:e1526. [PMID: 30816016 PMCID: PMC6617714 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2018] [Revised: 11/05/2018] [Accepted: 01/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Alternative polyadenylation (APA) is how genes choose different sites for 3′ end formation for mRNAs during transcription. APA often occurs in a tissue‐ or developmental stage‐specific manner that can significantly affect gene activity by changing the protein product generated, the stability of the transcript, its localization within the cell, or its translatability. Despite the important regulatory effects that APA has on tissue‐specific gene expression, only a few examples have been characterized mechanistically. In this 2018 update to our 2010 review, we examine mechanisms for the control of APA and update our understanding of the older mechanisms since 2010. We once postulated the existence of tissue‐specific factors in APA. However, while a few tissue‐specific polyadenylation factors are known, the emerging conclusion is that the majority of APA is accomplished by altering levels of core polyadenylation proteins. Examples of those core proteins include CSTF2, CPSF1, and subunits of mammalian cleavage factor I. But despite support for these mechanisms, no one has yet documented any of these proteins changing in either a tissue‐specific or developmental manner. Given the profound effect that APA can have on gene expression and human health, improved understanding of tissue‐specific APA could lead to numerous advances in gene activity control. This article is categorized under:RNA Processing > 3′ End Processing RNA in Disease and Development > RNA in Development
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Affiliation(s)
- Clinton C MacDonald
- Department of Cell Biology & Biochemistry, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, Texas
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20
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Alternative Polyadenylation: Methods, Findings, and Impacts. GENOMICS PROTEOMICS & BIOINFORMATICS 2017; 15:287-300. [PMID: 29031844 PMCID: PMC5673674 DOI: 10.1016/j.gpb.2017.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2017] [Revised: 06/01/2017] [Accepted: 06/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Alternative polyadenylation (APA), a phenomenon that RNA molecules with different 3' ends originate from distinct polyadenylation sites of a single gene, is emerging as a mechanism widely used to regulate gene expression. In the present review, we first summarized various methods prevalently adopted in APA study, mainly focused on the next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based techniques specially designed for APA identification, the related bioinformatics methods, and the strategies for APA study in single cells. Then we summarized the main findings and advances so far based on these methods, including the preferences of alternative polyA (pA) site, the biological processes involved, and the corresponding consequences. We especially categorized the APA changes discovered so far and discussed their potential functions under given conditions, along with the possible underlying molecular mechanisms. With more in-depth studies on extensive samples, more signatures and functions of APA will be revealed, and its diverse roles will gradually heave in sight.
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21
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Neve J, Patel R, Wang Z, Louey A, Furger AM. Cleavage and polyadenylation: Ending the message expands gene regulation. RNA Biol 2017; 14:865-890. [PMID: 28453393 PMCID: PMC5546720 DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2017.1306171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2017] [Revised: 03/02/2017] [Accepted: 03/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cleavage and polyadenylation (pA) is a fundamental step that is required for the maturation of primary protein encoding transcripts into functional mRNAs that can be exported from the nucleus and translated in the cytoplasm. 3'end processing is dependent on the assembly of a multiprotein processing complex on the pA signals that reside in the pre-mRNAs. Most eukaryotic genes have multiple pA signals, resulting in alternative cleavage and polyadenylation (APA), a widespread phenomenon that is important to establish cell state and cell type specific transcriptomes. Here, we review how pA sites are recognized and comprehensively summarize how APA is regulated and creates mRNA isoform profiles that are characteristic for cell types, tissues, cellular states and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Neve
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Radhika Patel
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Zhiqiao Wang
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Alastair Louey
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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22
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Genetic variants regulating expression levels and isoform diversity during embryogenesis. Nature 2016; 541:402-406. [PMID: 28024300 DOI: 10.1038/nature20802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2016] [Accepted: 11/16/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Embryonic development is driven by tightly regulated patterns of gene expression, despite extensive genetic variation among individuals. Studies of expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) indicate that genetic variation frequently alters gene expression in cell-culture models and differentiated tissues. However, the extent and types of genetic variation impacting embryonic gene expression, and their interactions with developmental programs, remain largely unknown. Here we assessed the effect of genetic variation on transcriptional (expression levels) and post-transcriptional (3' RNA processing) regulation across multiple stages of metazoan development, using 80 inbred Drosophila wild isolates, identifying thousands of developmental-stage-specific and shared QTL. Given the small blocks of linkage disequilibrium in Drosophila, we obtain near base-pair resolution, resolving causal mutations in developmental enhancers, validated transcription-factor-binding sites and RNA motifs. This fine-grain mapping uncovered extensive allelic interactions within enhancers that have opposite effects, thereby buffering their impact on enhancer activity. QTL affecting 3' RNA processing identify new functional motifs leading to transcript isoform diversity and changes in the lengths of 3' untranslated regions. These results highlight how developmental stage influences the effects of genetic variation and uncover multiple mechanisms that regulate and buffer expression variation during embryogenesis.
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23
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The roles of RNA processing in translating genotype to phenotype. NATURE REVIEWS. MOLECULAR CELL BIOLOGY 2016. [PMID: 27847391 DOI: 10.1038/nrm.2016.139.] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
A goal of human genetics studies is to determine the mechanisms by which genetic variation produces phenotypic differences that affect human health. Efforts in this respect have previously focused on genetic variants that affect mRNA levels by altering epigenetic and transcriptional regulation. Recent studies show that genetic variants that affect RNA processing are at least equally as common as, and are largely independent from, those variants that affect transcription. We highlight the impact of genetic variation on pre-mRNA splicing and polyadenylation, and on the stability, translation and structure of mRNAs as mechanisms that produce phenotypic traits. These results emphasize the importance of including RNA processing signals in analyses to identify functional variants.
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24
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Manning KS, Cooper TA. The roles of RNA processing in translating genotype to phenotype. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2016; 18:102-114. [PMID: 27847391 DOI: 10.1038/nrm.2016.139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 129] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
A goal of human genetics studies is to determine the mechanisms by which genetic variation produces phenotypic differences that affect human health. Efforts in this respect have previously focused on genetic variants that affect mRNA levels by altering epigenetic and transcriptional regulation. Recent studies show that genetic variants that affect RNA processing are at least equally as common as, and are largely independent from, those variants that affect transcription. We highlight the impact of genetic variation on pre-mRNA splicing and polyadenylation, and on the stability, translation and structure of mRNAs as mechanisms that produce phenotypic traits. These results emphasize the importance of including RNA processing signals in analyses to identify functional variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kassie S Manning
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.,Integrative Molecular and Biomedical Sciences Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Thomas A Cooper
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.,Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.,Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.,Integrative Molecular and Biomedical Sciences Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
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25
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Miles WO, Lembo A, Volorio A, Brachtel E, Tian B, Sgroi D, Provero P, Dyson N. Alternative Polyadenylation in Triple-Negative Breast Tumors Allows NRAS and c-JUN to Bypass PUMILIO Posttranscriptional Regulation. Cancer Res 2016; 76:7231-7241. [PMID: 27758885 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-16-0844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2016] [Revised: 08/31/2016] [Accepted: 09/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Alternative polyadenylation (APA) is a process that changes the posttranscriptional regulation and translation potential of mRNAs via addition or deletion of 3' untranslated region (3' UTR) sequences. To identify posttranscriptional-regulatory events affected by APA in breast tumors, tumor datasets were analyzed for recurrent APA events. Motif mapping of the changed 3' UTR regions found that APA-mediated removal of Pumilio regulatory elements (PRE) was unusually common. Breast tumor subtype-specific APA profiling identified triple-negative breast tumors as having the highest levels of APA. To determine the frequency of these events, an independent cohort of triple-negative breast tumors and normal breast tissue was analyzed for APA. APA-mediated shortening of NRAS and c-JUN was seen frequently, and this correlated with changes in the expression of downstream targets. mRNA stability and luciferase assays demonstrated APA-dependent alterations in RNA and protein levels of affected candidate genes. Examination of clinical parameters of these tumors found those with APA of NRAS and c-JUN to be smaller and less proliferative, but more invasive than non-APA tumors. RT-PCR profiling identified elevated levels of polyadenylation factor CSTF3 in tumors with APA. Overexpression of CSTF3 was common in triple-negative breast cancer cell lines, and elevated CSTF3 levels were sufficient to induce APA of NRAS and c-JUN. Our results support the hypothesis that PRE-containing mRNAs are disproportionately affected by APA, primarily due to high sequence similarity in the motifs utilized by polyadenylation machinery and the PUM complex. Cancer Res; 76(24); 7231-41. ©2016 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wayne O Miles
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts. .,Department of Molecular Genetics, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Antonio Lembo
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.,Center for Translational Genomics and Bioinformatics, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Angela Volorio
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts
| | - Elena Brachtel
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts
| | - Bin Tian
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey
| | - Dennis Sgroi
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts
| | - Paolo Provero
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.,Center for Translational Genomics and Bioinformatics, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Nicholas Dyson
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts.
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26
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Ogorodnikov A, Kargapolova Y, Danckwardt S. Processing and transcriptome expansion at the mRNA 3' end in health and disease: finding the right end. Pflugers Arch 2016; 468:993-1012. [PMID: 27220521 PMCID: PMC4893057 DOI: 10.1007/s00424-016-1828-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2016] [Accepted: 04/19/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The human transcriptome is highly dynamic, with each cell type, tissue, and organ system expressing an ensemble of transcript isoforms that give rise to considerable diversity. Apart from alternative splicing affecting the "body" of the transcripts, extensive transcriptome diversification occurs at the 3' end. Transcripts differing at the 3' end can have profound physiological effects by encoding proteins with distinct functions or regulatory properties or by affecting the mRNA fate via the inclusion or exclusion of regulatory elements (such as miRNA or protein binding sites). Importantly, the dynamic regulation at the 3' end is associated with various (patho)physiological processes, including the immune regulation but also tumorigenesis. Here, we recapitulate the mechanisms of constitutive mRNA 3' end processing and review the current understanding of the dynamically regulated diversity at the transcriptome 3' end. We illustrate the medical importance by presenting examples that are associated with perturbations of this process and indicate resulting implications for molecular diagnostics as well as potentially arising novel therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anton Ogorodnikov
- Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Medical Center Mainz, Langenbeckstr 1, 55131, Mainz, Germany
- Center for Thrombosis and Hemostasis (CTH), University Medical Center Mainz, Langenbeckstr 1, 55131, Mainz, Germany
| | - Yulia Kargapolova
- Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Medical Center Mainz, Langenbeckstr 1, 55131, Mainz, Germany
- Center for Thrombosis and Hemostasis (CTH), University Medical Center Mainz, Langenbeckstr 1, 55131, Mainz, Germany
| | - Sven Danckwardt
- Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Medical Center Mainz, Langenbeckstr 1, 55131, Mainz, Germany.
- Center for Thrombosis and Hemostasis (CTH), University Medical Center Mainz, Langenbeckstr 1, 55131, Mainz, Germany.
- German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Langenbeckstr 1, 55131, Mainz, Germany.
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27
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Li YI, van de Geijn B, Raj A, Knowles DA, Petti AA, Golan D, Gilad Y, Pritchard JK. RNA splicing is a primary link between genetic variation and disease. Science 2016; 352:600-4. [PMID: 27126046 PMCID: PMC5182069 DOI: 10.1126/science.aad9417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 400] [Impact Index Per Article: 50.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2015] [Accepted: 03/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Noncoding variants play a central role in the genetics of complex traits, but we still lack a full understanding of the molecular pathways through which they act. We quantified the contribution of cis-acting genetic effects at all major stages of gene regulation from chromatin to proteins, in Yoruba lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs). About ~65% of expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) have primary effects on chromatin, whereas the remaining eQTLs are enriched in transcribed regions. Using a novel method, we also detected 2893 splicing QTLs, most of which have little or no effect on gene-level expression. These splicing QTLs are major contributors to complex traits, roughly on a par with variants that affect gene expression levels. Our study provides a comprehensive view of the mechanisms linking genetic variation to variation in human gene regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang I Li
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | | | - Anil Raj
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - David A Knowles
- Department of Computer Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA. Department of Radiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Allegra A Petti
- Genome Institute, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - David Golan
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Yoav Gilad
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | - Jonathan K Pritchard
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA. Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA. Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
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28
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Abstract
Second generation DNA sequencing technologies have been a great boon for the study of mRNA polyadenylation. The experimental determination of large numbers of polyadenylation sites using high-throughput sequencing strategies has provided the necessary platform for deeper understanding the regulation of gene expression in eukaryotes. For generating large sets of data to map poly-A sites, specialized sample preparations that target the junction of 3'-UTR and the poly(A) tail are usually employed. Here, we describe three different protocols that are effectively used for global determinations of poly(A) site choice in plants.
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29
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Bilgin Sonay T, Carvalho T, Robinson MD, Greminger MP, Krützen M, Comas D, Highnam G, Mittelman D, Sharp A, Marques-Bonet T, Wagner A. Tandem repeat variation in human and great ape populations and its impact on gene expression divergence. Genome Res 2015; 25:1591-1599. [PMID: 26290536 DOI: 10.1101/015784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2015] [Accepted: 08/14/2015] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Tandem repeats (TRs) are stretches of DNA that are highly variable in length and mutate rapidly. They are thus an important source of genetic variation. This variation is highly informative for population and conservation genetics. It has also been associated with several pathological conditions and with gene expression regulation. However, genome-wide surveys of TR variation in humans and closely related species have been scarce due to technical difficulties derived from short-read technology. Here we explored the genome-wide diversity of TRs in a panel of 83 human and nonhuman great ape genomes, in a total of six different species, and studied their impact on gene expression evolution. We found that population diversity patterns can be efficiently captured with short TRs (repeat unit length, 1-5 bp). We examined the potential evolutionary role of TRs in gene expression differences between humans and primates by using 30,275 larger TRs (repeat unit length, 2-50 bp). Genes that contained TRs in the promoters, in their 3' untranslated region, in introns, and in exons had higher expression divergence than genes without repeats in the regions. Polymorphic small repeats (1-5 bp) had also higher expression divergence compared with genes with fixed or no TRs in the gene promoters. Our findings highlight the potential contribution of TRs to human evolution through gene regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tugce Bilgin Sonay
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, CH-805 Zurich, Switzerland; The Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Tiago Carvalho
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology (CSIC-UPF), Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mark D Robinson
- The Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland; Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Maja P Greminger
- Evolutionary Genetics Group, Anthropological Institute and Museum, University of Zurich, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Michael Krützen
- Evolutionary Genetics Group, Anthropological Institute and Museum, University of Zurich, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - David Comas
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology (CSIC-UPF), Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gareth Highnam
- Department of Biological Science and Virginia Bioinformatics Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA
| | - David Mittelman
- Department of Biological Science and Virginia Bioinformatics Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA
| | - Andrew Sharp
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai School, New York, New York 10029, USA
| | - Tomàs Marques-Bonet
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology (CSIC-UPF), Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 08003 Barcelona, Spain; Centro Nacional de Análisis Genómico (CNAG), PCB, Barcelona, 08028 Catalonia, Spain; Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), 08010 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Andreas Wagner
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, CH-805 Zurich, Switzerland; The Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland; The Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501, USA
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30
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Bilgin Sonay T, Carvalho T, Robinson MD, Greminger MP, Krützen M, Comas D, Highnam G, Mittelman D, Sharp A, Marques-Bonet T, Wagner A. Tandem repeat variation in human and great ape populations and its impact on gene expression divergence. Genome Res 2015; 25:1591-9. [PMID: 26290536 PMCID: PMC4617956 DOI: 10.1101/gr.190868.115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2015] [Accepted: 08/14/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Tandem repeats (TRs) are stretches of DNA that are highly variable in length and mutate rapidly. They are thus an important source of genetic variation. This variation is highly informative for population and conservation genetics. It has also been associated with several pathological conditions and with gene expression regulation. However, genome-wide surveys of TR variation in humans and closely related species have been scarce due to technical difficulties derived from short-read technology. Here we explored the genome-wide diversity of TRs in a panel of 83 human and nonhuman great ape genomes, in a total of six different species, and studied their impact on gene expression evolution. We found that population diversity patterns can be efficiently captured with short TRs (repeat unit length, 1–5 bp). We examined the potential evolutionary role of TRs in gene expression differences between humans and primates by using 30,275 larger TRs (repeat unit length, 2–50 bp). Genes that contained TRs in the promoters, in their 3′ untranslated region, in introns, and in exons had higher expression divergence than genes without repeats in the regions. Polymorphic small repeats (1–5 bp) had also higher expression divergence compared with genes with fixed or no TRs in the gene promoters. Our findings highlight the potential contribution of TRs to human evolution through gene regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tugce Bilgin Sonay
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, CH-805 Zurich, Switzerland; The Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Tiago Carvalho
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology (CSIC-UPF), Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mark D Robinson
- The Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland; Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Maja P Greminger
- Evolutionary Genetics Group, Anthropological Institute and Museum, University of Zurich, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Michael Krützen
- Evolutionary Genetics Group, Anthropological Institute and Museum, University of Zurich, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - David Comas
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology (CSIC-UPF), Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gareth Highnam
- Department of Biological Science and Virginia Bioinformatics Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA
| | - David Mittelman
- Department of Biological Science and Virginia Bioinformatics Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA
| | - Andrew Sharp
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai School, New York, New York 10029, USA
| | - Tomàs Marques-Bonet
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology (CSIC-UPF), Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 08003 Barcelona, Spain; Centro Nacional de Análisis Genómico (CNAG), PCB, Barcelona, 08028 Catalonia, Spain; Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), 08010 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Andreas Wagner
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, CH-805 Zurich, Switzerland; The Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland; The Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501, USA
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31
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Abstract
It is now well established that noncoding regulatory variants play a central role in the genetics of common diseases and in evolution. However, until recently, we have known little about the mechanisms by which most regulatory variants act. For instance, what types of functional elements in DNA, RNA, or proteins are most often affected by regulatory variants? Which stages of gene regulation are typically altered? How can we predict which variants are most likely to impact regulation in a given cell type? Recent studies, in many cases using quantitative trait loci (QTL)-mapping approaches in cell lines or tissue samples, have provided us with considerable insight into the properties of genetic loci that have regulatory roles. Such studies have uncovered novel biochemical regulatory interactions and led to the identification of previously unrecognized regulatory mechanisms. We have learned that genetic variation is often directly associated with variation in regulatory activities (namely, we can map regulatory QTLs, not just expression QTLs [eQTLs]), and we have taken the first steps towards understanding the causal order of regulatory events (for example, the role of pioneer transcription factors). Yet, in most cases, we still do not know how to interpret overlapping combinations of regulatory interactions, and we are still far from being able to predict how variation in regulatory mechanisms is propagated through a chain of interactions to eventually result in changes in gene expression profiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Athma A. Pai
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Jonathan K. Pritchard
- Departments of Genetics and Biology, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute; Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America
- * E-mail: (JKP); (YG)
| | - Yoav Gilad
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
- * E-mail: (JKP); (YG)
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32
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Kafasla P, Skliris A, Kontoyiannis DL. Post-transcriptional coordination of immunological responses by RNA-binding proteins. Nat Immunol 2014; 15:492-502. [PMID: 24840980 DOI: 10.1038/ni.2884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 151] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2014] [Accepted: 04/01/2014] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Immunological reactions are propelled by ever-changing signals that alter the translational ability of the RNA in the cells involved. Such alterations are considered to be consequential modifications in the transcriptomic decoding of the genetic blueprint. The identification of RNA-binding protein (RBP) assemblies engaged in the coordinative regulation of state-specific RNAs indicates alternative and exclusive means for determining the activation, plasticity and tolerance of cells of the immune system. Here we review current knowledge about RBP-regulated post-transcriptional events involved in the reactivity of cells of the immune system and the importance of their alteration during chronic inflammatory pathology and autoimmunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panagiota Kafasla
- Division of Immunology, Biomedical Sciences Research Center "Alexander Fleming", Vari, Greece
| | - Antonis Skliris
- Division of Immunology, Biomedical Sciences Research Center "Alexander Fleming", Vari, Greece
| | - Dimitris L Kontoyiannis
- Division of Immunology, Biomedical Sciences Research Center "Alexander Fleming", Vari, Greece
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33
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Hollerer I, Grund K, Hentze MW, Kulozik AE. mRNA 3'end processing: A tale of the tail reaches the clinic. EMBO Mol Med 2014; 6:16-26. [PMID: 24408965 PMCID: PMC3936486 DOI: 10.1002/emmm.201303300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent advances reveal mRNA 3′end processing as a highly regulated process that fine-tunes posttranscriptional gene expression. This process can affect the site and/or the efficiency of 3′end processing, controlling the quality and the quantity of substrate mRNAs. The regulation of 3′end processing plays a central role in fundamental physiology such as blood coagulation and innate immunity. In addition, errors in mRNA 3′end processing have been associated with a broad spectrum of human diseases, including cancer. We summarize and discuss the paradigmatic shift in the understanding of 3′end processing as a mechanism of posttranscriptional gene regulation that has reached clinical medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ina Hollerer
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Immunology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
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34
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Müller S, Rycak L, Afonso-Grunz F, Winter P, Zawada AM, Damrath E, Scheider J, Schmäh J, Koch I, Kahl G, Rotter B. APADB: a database for alternative polyadenylation and microRNA regulation events. DATABASE-THE JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL DATABASES AND CURATION 2014; 2014:bau076. [PMID: 25052703 PMCID: PMC4105710 DOI: 10.1093/database/bau076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Alternative polyadenylation (APA) is a widespread mechanism that contributes to the sophisticated dynamics of gene regulation. Approximately 50% of all protein-coding human genes harbor multiple polyadenylation (PA) sites; their selective and combinatorial use gives rise to transcript variants with differing length of their 3′ untranslated region (3′UTR). Shortened variants escape UTR-mediated regulation by microRNAs (miRNAs), especially in cancer, where global 3′UTR shortening accelerates disease progression, dedifferentiation and proliferation. Here we present APADB, a database of vertebrate PA sites determined by 3′ end sequencing, using massive analysis of complementary DNA ends. APADB provides (A)PA sites for coding and non-coding transcripts of human, mouse and chicken genes. For human and mouse, several tissue types, including different cancer specimens, are available. APADB records the loss of predicted miRNA binding sites and visualizes next-generation sequencing reads that support each PA site in a genome browser. The database tables can either be browsed according to organism and tissue or alternatively searched for a gene of interest. APADB is the largest database of APA in human, chicken and mouse. The stored information provides experimental evidence for thousands of PA sites and APA events. APADB combines 3′ end sequencing data with prediction algorithms of miRNA binding sites, allowing to further improve prediction algorithms. Current databases lack correct information about 3′UTR lengths, especially for chicken, and APADB provides necessary information to close this gap. Database URL:http://tools.genxpro.net/apadb/
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Affiliation(s)
- Sören Müller
- Plant Molecular Biology, Molecular BioSciences, University of Frankfurt am Main, Marie-Curie-Street 9, D-60439 Frankfurt, Germany, GenXPro GmbH, Frankfurt Innovation Center Biotechnology, Altenhöferallee 3, D-60438 Frankfurt, Germany, Molecular Bioinformatics Group, Faculty of Computer Science and Mathematics, Cluster of Excellence Frankfurt "Macromolecular Complexes", Institute of Computer Science, Robert-Mayer-Strasse 11-15, D-60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany, Department of Internal Medicine IV; Saarland University Medical Center, Kirrberger Strasse, D-66421 Homburg/Saar, Germany, Experimental Neurology, Department of Neurology, Goethe University Medical School, Heinrich, Hoffmann Strasse 7, D-60528 Frankfurt am Main, Germany, Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Aquatic Ecotoxicology, University of Frankfurt am Main, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, D-60438 Frankfurt, Germany and Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Schwanenweg 20, D-24105 Kiel, GermanyPlant Molecular Biology, Molecular BioSciences, University of Frankfurt am Main, Marie-Curie-Street 9, D-60439 Frankfurt, Germany, GenXPro GmbH, Frankfurt Innovation Center Biotechnology, Altenhöferallee 3, D-60438 Frankfurt, Germany, Molecular Bioinformatics Group, Faculty of Computer Science and Mathematics, Cluster of Excellence Frankfurt "Macromolecular Complexes", Institute of Computer Science, Robert-Mayer-Strasse 11-15, D-60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany, Department of Internal Medicine IV; Saarland University Medical Center, Kirrberger Strasse, D-66421 Homburg/Saar, Germany, Experimental Neurology, Department of Neurology, Goethe University Medical School, Heinrich, Hoffmann Strasse 7, D-60528 Frankfurt am Main, Germany, Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Aquatic Ecotoxicology, University of Frankfurt am Main, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, D-60438 Frankfurt, Germany and Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Schwanenweg 20, D-24105 Kiel, Germany
| | - Lukas Rycak
- Plant Molecular Biology, Molecular BioSciences, University of Frankfurt am Main, Marie-Curie-Street 9, D-60439 Frankfurt, Germany, GenXPro GmbH, Frankfurt Innovation Center Biotechnology, Altenhöferallee 3, D-60438 Frankfurt, Germany, Molecular Bioinformatics Group, Faculty of Computer Science and Mathematics, Cluster of Excellence Frankfurt "Macromolecular Complexes", Institute of Computer Science, Robert-Mayer-Strasse 11-15, D-60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany, Department of Internal Medicine IV; Saarland University Medical Center, Kirrberger Strasse, D-66421 Homburg/Saar, Germany, Experimental Neurology, Department of Neurology, Goethe University Medical School, Heinrich, Hoffmann Strasse 7, D-60528 Frankfurt am Main, Germany, Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Aquatic Ecotoxicology, University of Frankfurt am Main, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, D-60438 Frankfurt, Germany and Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Schwanenweg 20, D-24105 Kiel, Germany
| | - Fabian Afonso-Grunz
- Plant Molecular Biology, Molecular BioSciences, University of Frankfurt am Main, Marie-Curie-Street 9, D-60439 Frankfurt, Germany, GenXPro GmbH, Frankfurt Innovation Center Biotechnology, Altenhöferallee 3, D-60438 Frankfurt, Germany, Molecular Bioinformatics Group, Faculty of Computer Science and Mathematics, Cluster of Excellence Frankfurt "Macromolecular Complexes", Institute of Computer Science, Robert-Mayer-Strasse 11-15, D-60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany, Department of Internal Medicine IV; Saarland University Medical Center, Kirrberger Strasse, D-66421 Homburg/Saar, Germany, Experimental Neurology, Department of Neurology, Goethe University Medical School, Heinrich, Hoffmann Strasse 7, D-60528 Frankfurt am Main, Germany, Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Aquatic Ecotoxicology, University of Frankfurt am Main, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, D-60438 Frankfurt, Germany and Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Schwanenweg 20, D-24105 Kiel, GermanyPlant Molecular Biology, Molecular BioSciences, University of Frankfurt am Main, Marie-Curie-Street 9, D-60439 Frankfurt, Germany, GenXPro GmbH, Frankfurt Innovation Center Biotechnology, Altenhöferallee 3, D-60438 Frankfurt, Germany, Molecular Bioinformatics Group, Faculty of Computer Science and Mathematics, Cluster of Excellence Frankfurt "Macromolecular Complexes", Institute of Computer Science, Robert-Mayer-Strasse 11-15, D-60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany, Department of Internal Medicine IV; Saarland University Medical Center, Kirrberger Strasse, D-66421 Homburg/Saar, Germany, Experimental Neurology, Department of Neurology, Goethe University Medical School, Heinrich, Hoffmann Strasse 7, D-60528 Frankfurt am Main, Germany, Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Aquatic Ecotoxicology, University of Frankfurt am Main, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, D-60438 Frankfurt, Germany and Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Schwanenweg 20, D-24105 Kiel, Germany
| | - Peter Winter
- Plant Molecular Biology, Molecular BioSciences, University of Frankfurt am Main, Marie-Curie-Street 9, D-60439 Frankfurt, Germany, GenXPro GmbH, Frankfurt Innovation Center Biotechnology, Altenhöferallee 3, D-60438 Frankfurt, Germany, Molecular Bioinformatics Group, Faculty of Computer Science and Mathematics, Cluster of Excellence Frankfurt "Macromolecular Complexes", Institute of Computer Science, Robert-Mayer-Strasse 11-15, D-60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany, Department of Internal Medicine IV; Saarland University Medical Center, Kirrberger Strasse, D-66421 Homburg/Saar, Germany, Experimental Neurology, Department of Neurology, Goethe University Medical School, Heinrich, Hoffmann Strasse 7, D-60528 Frankfurt am Main, Germany, Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Aquatic Ecotoxicology, University of Frankfurt am Main, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, D-60438 Frankfurt, Germany and Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Schwanenweg 20, D-24105 Kiel, Germany
| | - Adam M Zawada
- Plant Molecular Biology, Molecular BioSciences, University of Frankfurt am Main, Marie-Curie-Street 9, D-60439 Frankfurt, Germany, GenXPro GmbH, Frankfurt Innovation Center Biotechnology, Altenhöferallee 3, D-60438 Frankfurt, Germany, Molecular Bioinformatics Group, Faculty of Computer Science and Mathematics, Cluster of Excellence Frankfurt "Macromolecular Complexes", Institute of Computer Science, Robert-Mayer-Strasse 11-15, D-60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany, Department of Internal Medicine IV; Saarland University Medical Center, Kirrberger Strasse, D-66421 Homburg/Saar, Germany, Experimental Neurology, Department of Neurology, Goethe University Medical School, Heinrich, Hoffmann Strasse 7, D-60528 Frankfurt am Main, Germany, Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Aquatic Ecotoxicology, University of Frankfurt am Main, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, D-60438 Frankfurt, Germany and Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Schwanenweg 20, D-24105 Kiel, Germany
| | - Ewa Damrath
- Plant Molecular Biology, Molecular BioSciences, University of Frankfurt am Main, Marie-Curie-Street 9, D-60439 Frankfurt, Germany, GenXPro GmbH, Frankfurt Innovation Center Biotechnology, Altenhöferallee 3, D-60438 Frankfurt, Germany, Molecular Bioinformatics Group, Faculty of Computer Science and Mathematics, Cluster of Excellence Frankfurt "Macromolecular Complexes", Institute of Computer Science, Robert-Mayer-Strasse 11-15, D-60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany, Department of Internal Medicine IV; Saarland University Medical Center, Kirrberger Strasse, D-66421 Homburg/Saar, Germany, Experimental Neurology, Department of Neurology, Goethe University Medical School, Heinrich, Hoffmann Strasse 7, D-60528 Frankfurt am Main, Germany, Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Aquatic Ecotoxicology, University of Frankfurt am Main, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, D-60438 Frankfurt, Germany and Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Schwanenweg 20, D-24105 Kiel, Germany
| | - Jessica Scheider
- Plant Molecular Biology, Molecular BioSciences, University of Frankfurt am Main, Marie-Curie-Street 9, D-60439 Frankfurt, Germany, GenXPro GmbH, Frankfurt Innovation Center Biotechnology, Altenhöferallee 3, D-60438 Frankfurt, Germany, Molecular Bioinformatics Group, Faculty of Computer Science and Mathematics, Cluster of Excellence Frankfurt "Macromolecular Complexes", Institute of Computer Science, Robert-Mayer-Strasse 11-15, D-60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany, Department of Internal Medicine IV; Saarland University Medical Center, Kirrberger Strasse, D-66421 Homburg/Saar, Germany, Experimental Neurology, Department of Neurology, Goethe University Medical School, Heinrich, Hoffmann Strasse 7, D-60528 Frankfurt am Main, Germany, Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Aquatic Ecotoxicology, University of Frankfurt am Main, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, D-60438 Frankfurt, Germany and Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Schwanenweg 20, D-24105 Kiel, Germany
| | - Juliane Schmäh
- Plant Molecular Biology, Molecular BioSciences, University of Frankfurt am Main, Marie-Curie-Street 9, D-60439 Frankfurt, Germany, GenXPro GmbH, Frankfurt Innovation Center Biotechnology, Altenhöferallee 3, D-60438 Frankfurt, Germany, Molecular Bioinformatics Group, Faculty of Computer Science and Mathematics, Cluster of Excellence Frankfurt "Macromolecular Complexes", Institute of Computer Science, Robert-Mayer-Strasse 11-15, D-60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany, Department of Internal Medicine IV; Saarland University Medical Center, Kirrberger Strasse, D-66421 Homburg/Saar, Germany, Experimental Neurology, Department of Neurology, Goethe University Medical School, Heinrich, Hoffmann Strasse 7, D-60528 Frankfurt am Main, Germany, Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Aquatic Ecotoxicology, University of Frankfurt am Main, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, D-60438 Frankfurt, Germany and Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Schwanenweg 20, D-24105 Kiel, Germany
| | - Ina Koch
- Plant Molecular Biology, Molecular BioSciences, University of Frankfurt am Main, Marie-Curie-Street 9, D-60439 Frankfurt, Germany, GenXPro GmbH, Frankfurt Innovation Center Biotechnology, Altenhöferallee 3, D-60438 Frankfurt, Germany, Molecular Bioinformatics Group, Faculty of Computer Science and Mathematics, Cluster of Excellence Frankfurt "Macromolecular Complexes", Institute of Computer Science, Robert-Mayer-Strasse 11-15, D-60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany, Department of Internal Medicine IV; Saarland University Medical Center, Kirrberger Strasse, D-66421 Homburg/Saar, Germany, Experimental Neurology, Department of Neurology, Goethe University Medical School, Heinrich, Hoffmann Strasse 7, D-60528 Frankfurt am Main, Germany, Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Aquatic Ecotoxicology, University of Frankfurt am Main, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, D-60438 Frankfurt, Germany and Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Schwanenweg 20, D-24105 Kiel, Germany
| | - Günter Kahl
- Plant Molecular Biology, Molecular BioSciences, University of Frankfurt am Main, Marie-Curie-Street 9, D-60439 Frankfurt, Germany, GenXPro GmbH, Frankfurt Innovation Center Biotechnology, Altenhöferallee 3, D-60438 Frankfurt, Germany, Molecular Bioinformatics Group, Faculty of Computer Science and Mathematics, Cluster of Excellence Frankfurt "Macromolecular Complexes", Institute of Computer Science, Robert-Mayer-Strasse 11-15, D-60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany, Department of Internal Medicine IV; Saarland University Medical Center, Kirrberger Strasse, D-66421 Homburg/Saar, Germany, Experimental Neurology, Department of Neurology, Goethe University Medical School, Heinrich, Hoffmann Strasse 7, D-60528 Frankfurt am Main, Germany, Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Aquatic Ecotoxicology, University of Frankfurt am Main, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, D-60438 Frankfurt, Germany and Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Schwanenweg 20, D-24105 Kiel, Germany
| | - Björn Rotter
- Plant Molecular Biology, Molecular BioSciences, University of Frankfurt am Main, Marie-Curie-Street 9, D-60439 Frankfurt, Germany, GenXPro GmbH, Frankfurt Innovation Center Biotechnology, Altenhöferallee 3, D-60438 Frankfurt, Germany, Molecular Bioinformatics Group, Faculty of Computer Science and Mathematics, Cluster of Excellence Frankfurt "Macromolecular Complexes", Institute of Computer Science, Robert-Mayer-Strasse 11-15, D-60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany, Department of Internal Medicine IV; Saarland University Medical Center, Kirrberger Strasse, D-66421 Homburg/Saar, Germany, Experimental Neurology, Department of Neurology, Goethe University Medical School, Heinrich, Hoffmann Strasse 7, D-60528 Frankfurt am Main, Germany, Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Aquatic Ecotoxicology, University of Frankfurt am Main, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, D-60438 Frankfurt, Germany and Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Schwanenweg 20, D-24105 Kiel, Germany
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35
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de Klerk E, den Dunnen JT, 't Hoen PAC. RNA sequencing: from tag-based profiling to resolving complete transcript structure. Cell Mol Life Sci 2014; 71:3537-51. [PMID: 24827995 PMCID: PMC4143603 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-014-1637-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2014] [Revised: 04/13/2014] [Accepted: 04/28/2014] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Technological advances in the sequencing field support in-depth characterization of the transcriptome. Here, we review genome-wide RNA sequencing methods used to investigate specific aspects of gene expression and its regulation, from transcription to RNA processing and translation. We discuss tag-based methods for studying transcription, alternative initiation and polyadenylation events, shotgun methods for detection of alternative splicing, full-length RNA sequencing for the determination of complete transcript structures, and targeted methods for studying the process of transcription and translation. With the ensemble of technologies available, it is now possible to obtain a comprehensive view on transcriptome complexity and the regulation of transcript diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleonora de Klerk
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands
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36
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Tian P, Li J, Liu X, Li Y, Chen M, Ma Y, Zheng YQ, Fu Y, Zou H. Tandem alternative polyadenylation events of genes in non-eosinophilic nasal polyp tissue identified by high-throughput sequencing analysis. Int J Mol Med 2014; 33:1423-30. [PMID: 24715051 PMCID: PMC4055440 DOI: 10.3892/ijmm.2014.1734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2013] [Accepted: 02/26/2014] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Nasal polyps (NP) is highly associated with the disorder of immune cells. Alternative polyadenylation (APA) produces mRNA isoforms with different length of 3′-untranslated region (UTR) and regulates gene expression. It has been proven that this APA-mediated regulation of 3′UTR length is an immune-associated phenomenon. The aim of this study was to investigate the genome-wide alternative tandem 3′UTR length switching events in non-eosinophilic nasal polyp tissue. Thirteen patients diagnosed as having non-eosinophilic nasal polyps were included in this study. Nasal polyp tissue and control mucosa were collected during surgery. The 3′ end library of cDNA was constructed. The recovered libraries were sequenced with second sequencing technology, and the sequencing data were analyzed by an in-house bioinformatics pipeline. Tandem 3′UTR length switching between samples was detected by a test of linear trend alternative to independence. We found a significant alteration in the tandem 3′UTR length in 1,920 genes in nasal polyp samples. Functional annotation results showed that several gene ontology (GO) terms were enriched in the list of genes with switched APA sites, including regulation of transcription, macromolecule catabolic localization and mRNA processing. The results suggested that APA-mediated alternative 3′UTR regulation plays an important role in the post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression in non-eosinophilic nasal polyps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Tian
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510120, P.R. China
| | - Jie Li
- State Key Laboratory for Biocontrol, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Functional Genes, Department of Biochemistry, College of Life Science, Sun Yat-sen University, Higher Education Mega Center, Guangzhou 510006, P.R. China
| | - Xiang Liu
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510120, P.R. China
| | - Yuxi Li
- State Key Laboratory for Biocontrol, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Functional Genes, Department of Biochemistry, College of Life Science, Sun Yat-sen University, Higher Education Mega Center, Guangzhou 510006, P.R. China
| | - Meiheng Chen
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510120, P.R. China
| | - Yun Ma
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510120, P.R. China
| | - Yi Qing Zheng
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510120, P.R. China
| | - Yonggui Fu
- State Key Laboratory for Biocontrol, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Functional Genes, Department of Biochemistry, College of Life Science, Sun Yat-sen University, Higher Education Mega Center, Guangzhou 510006, P.R. China
| | - Hua Zou
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510120, P.R. China
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37
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Köstler WJ, Zeisel A, Körner C, Tsai JM, Jacob-Hirsch J, Ben-Chetrit N, Sharma K, Cohen-Dvashi H, Yitzhaky A, Lader E, Tschulena U, Rechavi G, Domany E, Wiemann S, Yarden Y. Epidermal growth-factor-induced transcript isoform variation drives mammary cell migration. PLoS One 2013; 8:e80566. [PMID: 24324612 PMCID: PMC3855657 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0080566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2013] [Accepted: 10/03/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Signal-induced transcript isoform variation (TIV) includes alternative promoter usage as well as alternative splicing and alternative polyadenylation of mRNA. To assess the phenotypic relevance of signal-induced TIV, we employed exon arrays and breast epithelial cells, which migrate in response to the epidermal growth factor (EGF). We show that EGF rapidly – within one hour – induces widespread TIV in a significant fraction of the transcriptome. Importantly, TIV characterizes many genes that display no differential expression upon stimulus. In addition, similar EGF-dependent changes are shared by a panel of mammary cell lines. A functional screen, which utilized isoform-specific siRNA oligonucleotides, indicated that several isoforms play essential, non-redundant roles in EGF-induced mammary cell migration. Taken together, our findings highlight the importance of TIV in the rapid evolvement of a phenotypic response to extracellular signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wolfgang J. Köstler
- Departments of Biological Regulation, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Amit Zeisel
- Physics of Complex Systems, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Cindy Körner
- Division of Molecular Genome Analysis, German Cancer Research Centre (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jonathan M. Tsai
- Departments of Biological Regulation, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Jasmine Jacob-Hirsch
- Sheba Cancer Research Center, The Chaim Sheba Medical Center and Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Nir Ben-Chetrit
- Departments of Biological Regulation, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Kirti Sharma
- Division of Molecular Genome Analysis, German Cancer Research Centre (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Hadas Cohen-Dvashi
- Departments of Biological Regulation, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Assif Yitzhaky
- Physics of Complex Systems, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Eric Lader
- Qiagen, Frederick, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Ulrich Tschulena
- Division of Molecular Genome Analysis, German Cancer Research Centre (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Gideon Rechavi
- Sheba Cancer Research Center, The Chaim Sheba Medical Center and Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Eytan Domany
- Physics of Complex Systems, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
- * E-mail: (YY); (ED)
| | - Stefan Wiemann
- Division of Molecular Genome Analysis, German Cancer Research Centre (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Yosef Yarden
- Departments of Biological Regulation, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
- * E-mail: (YY); (ED)
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38
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Gruber AR, Martin G, Keller W, Zavolan M. Means to an end: mechanisms of alternative polyadenylation of messenger RNA precursors. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-RNA 2013; 5:183-96. [PMID: 24243805 PMCID: PMC4282565 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2013] [Revised: 10/16/2013] [Accepted: 10/18/2013] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Expression of mature messenger RNAs (mRNAs) requires appropriate transcription initiation and termination, as well as pre-mRNA processing by capping, splicing, cleavage, and polyadenylation. A core 3'-end processing complex carries out the cleavage and polyadenylation reactions, but many proteins have been implicated in the selection of polyadenylation sites among the multiple alternatives that eukaryotic genes typically have. In recent years, high-throughput approaches to map both the 3'-end processing sites as well as the binding sites of proteins that are involved in the selection of cleavage sites and in the processing reactions have been developed. Here, we review these approaches as well as the insights into the mechanisms of polyadenylation that emerged from genome-wide studies of polyadenylation across a range of cell types and states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas R Gruber
- Computational and Systems Biology, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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39
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Lianoglou S, Garg V, Yang JL, Leslie CS, Mayr C. Ubiquitously transcribed genes use alternative polyadenylation to achieve tissue-specific expression. Genes Dev 2013; 27:2380-96. [PMID: 24145798 PMCID: PMC3828523 DOI: 10.1101/gad.229328.113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 289] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
A majority of human genes use alternative cleavage and polyadenylation to generate mRNA transcripts that differ in the lengths of their 3′ untranslated regions (UTRs). Here, Lianoglou et al. develop a sequencing method, 3′-seq, to measure 3′ UTR isoform expression across diverse human tissues and isogenic transformation systems. The analyses reveal that during transformation and differentiation, single-UTR genes typically change their mRNA abundance levels, while multi-UTR genes change 3′ UTR isoform ratios to achieve tissue specificity. This study offers surprising new insights into how cell type-specific gene expression is achieved. More than half of human genes use alternative cleavage and polyadenylation (ApA) to generate mRNA transcripts that differ in the lengths of their 3′ untranslated regions (UTRs), thus altering the post-transcriptional fate of the message and likely the protein output. The extent of 3′ UTR variation across tissues and the functional role of ApA remain poorly understood. We developed a sequencing method called 3′-seq to quantitatively map the 3′ ends of the transcriptome of diverse human tissues and isogenic transformation systems. We found that cell type-specific gene expression is accomplished by two complementary programs. Tissue-restricted genes tend to have single 3′ UTRs, whereas a majority of ubiquitously transcribed genes generate multiple 3′ UTRs. During transformation and differentiation, single-UTR genes change their mRNA abundance levels, while multi-UTR genes mostly change 3′ UTR isoform ratios to achieve tissue specificity. However, both regulation programs target genes that function in the same pathways and processes that characterize the new cell type. Instead of finding global shifts in 3′ UTR length during transformation and differentiation, we identify tissue-specific groups of multi-UTR genes that change their 3′ UTR ratios; these changes in 3′ UTR length are largely independent from changes in mRNA abundance. Finally, tissue-specific usage of ApA sites appears to be a mechanism for changing the landscape targetable by ubiquitously expressed microRNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steve Lianoglou
- Computational Biology Program, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10065, USA
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40
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Lyons R, Iwase A, Gänsewig T, Sherstnev A, Duc C, Barton GJ, Hanada K, Higuchi-Takeuchi M, Matsui M, Sugimoto K, Kazan K, Simpson GG, Shirasu K. The RNA-binding protein FPA regulates flg22-triggered defense responses and transcription factor activity by alternative polyadenylation. Sci Rep 2013; 3:2866. [PMID: 24104185 PMCID: PMC3793224 DOI: 10.1038/srep02866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2013] [Accepted: 09/17/2013] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) play an important role in plant host-microbe interactions. In this study, we show that the plant RBP known as FPA, which regulates 3′-end mRNA polyadenylation, negatively regulates basal resistance to bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae in Arabidopsis. A custom microarray analysis reveals that flg22, a peptide derived from bacterial flagellins, induces expression of alternatively polyadenylated isoforms of mRNA encoding the defence-related transcriptional repressor ETHYLENE RESPONSE FACTOR 4 (ERF4), which is regulated by FPA. Flg22 induces expression of a novel isoform of ERF4 that lacks the ERF-associated amphiphilic repression (EAR) motif, while FPA inhibits this induction. The EAR-lacking isoform of ERF4 acts as a transcriptional activator in vivo and suppresses the flg22-dependent reactive oxygen species burst. We propose that FPA controls use of proximal polyadenylation sites of ERF4, which quantitatively limit the defence response output.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Lyons
- 1] RIKEN Plant Science Center, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, 230-0045, Japan [2] Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization Plant Industry, Queensland Bioscience Precinct, St. Lucia, Queensland 4067, Australia
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41
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Ma L, Pati PK, Liu M, Li QQ, Hunt AG. High throughput characterizations of poly(A) site choice in plants. Methods 2013; 67:74-83. [PMID: 23851255 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2013.06.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2013] [Revised: 06/24/2013] [Accepted: 06/30/2013] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The polyadenylation of mRNA in eukaryotes is an important biological process. In recent years, significant progress has been made in the field of mRNA polyadenylation owing to the advent of the next generation DNA sequencing technologies. The high-throughput sequencing capabilities have resulted in the direct experimental determinations of large numbers of polyadenylation sites, analysis of which has revealed a vast potential for the regulation of gene expression in eukaryotes. These collections have been generated using specialized sequencing methods that are targeted to the junction of 3'-UTR and the poly(A) tail. Here we present three variations of such a protocol that has been used for the analysis of alternative polyadenylation in plants. While all these methods use oligo-dT as an anchor to the 3'-end, they differ in the means of generating an anchor for the 5'-end in order to produce PCR products suitable for effective Illumina sequencing; the use of different methods to append 5' adapters expands the possible utility of these approaches. These methods are versatile, reproducible, and may be used for gene expression analysis as well as global determinations of poly(A) site choice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liuyin Ma
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Pratap Kumar Pati
- Department of Horticulture, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA; Department of Biotechnology, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, India
| | - Man Liu
- Department of Botany, Miami University, Oxford, OH, USA
| | - Qingshun Q Li
- Department of Botany, Miami University, Oxford, OH, USA; Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Coastal Wetland Ecosystem, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Fujian, China.
| | - Arthur G Hunt
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.
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42
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Zhernakova DV, de Klerk E, Westra HJ, Mastrokolias A, Amini S, Ariyurek Y, Jansen R, Penninx BW, Hottenga JJ, Willemsen G, de Geus EJ, Boomsma DI, Veldink JH, van den Berg LH, Wijmenga C, den Dunnen JT, van Ommen GJB, 't Hoen PAC, Franke L. DeepSAGE reveals genetic variants associated with alternative polyadenylation and expression of coding and non-coding transcripts. PLoS Genet 2013; 9:e1003594. [PMID: 23818875 PMCID: PMC3688553 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1003594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2013] [Accepted: 05/10/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Many disease-associated variants affect gene expression levels (expression quantitative trait loci, eQTLs) and expression profiling using next generation sequencing (NGS) technology is a powerful way to detect these eQTLs. We analyzed 94 total blood samples from healthy volunteers with DeepSAGE to gain specific insight into how genetic variants affect the expression of genes and lengths of 3′-untranslated regions (3′-UTRs). We detected previously unknown cis-eQTL effects for GWAS hits in disease- and physiology-associated traits. Apart from cis-eQTLs that are typically easily identifiable using microarrays or RNA-sequencing, DeepSAGE also revealed many cis-eQTLs for antisense and other non-coding transcripts, often in genomic regions containing retrotransposon-derived elements. We also identified and confirmed SNPs that affect the usage of alternative polyadenylation sites, thereby potentially influencing the stability of messenger RNAs (mRNA). We then combined the power of RNA-sequencing with DeepSAGE by performing a meta-analysis of three datasets, leading to the identification of many more cis-eQTLs. Our results indicate that DeepSAGE data is useful for eQTL mapping of known and unknown transcripts, and for identifying SNPs that affect alternative polyadenylation. Because of the inherent differences between DeepSAGE and RNA-sequencing, our complementary, integrative approach leads to greater insight into the molecular consequences of many disease-associated variants. Many genetic variants that are associated with diseases also affect gene expression levels. We used a next generation sequencing approach targeting 3′ transcript ends (DeepSAGE) to gain specific insight into how genetic variants affect the expression of genes and the usage and length of 3′-untranslated regions. We detected many associations for antisense and other non-coding transcripts, often in genomic regions containing retrotransposon-derived elements. Some of these variants are also associated with disease. We also identified and confirmed variants that affect the usage of alternative polyadenylation sites, thereby potentially influencing the stability of mRNAs. We conclude that DeepSAGE is useful for detecting eQTL effects on both known and unknown transcripts, and for identifying variants that affect alternative polyadenylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daria V. Zhernakova
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Genetics, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Eleonora de Klerk
- Center for Human and Clinical Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Harm-Jan Westra
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Genetics, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Anastasios Mastrokolias
- Center for Human and Clinical Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Shoaib Amini
- Center for Human and Clinical Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Yavuz Ariyurek
- Center for Human and Clinical Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Leiden Genome Technology Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Rick Jansen
- Department of Psychiatry, The Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Brenda W. Penninx
- Department of Psychiatry, The Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jouke J. Hottenga
- Department of Biological Psychology, Netherlands Twin Registry, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Gonneke Willemsen
- Department of Biological Psychology, Netherlands Twin Registry, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Eco J. de Geus
- Department of Biological Psychology, Netherlands Twin Registry, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Dorret I. Boomsma
- Department of Biological Psychology, Netherlands Twin Registry, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jan H. Veldink
- Department of Neurology, Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Leonard H. van den Berg
- Department of Neurology, Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Cisca Wijmenga
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Genetics, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Johan T. den Dunnen
- Center for Human and Clinical Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Leiden Genome Technology Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Gert-Jan B. van Ommen
- Center for Human and Clinical Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Peter A. C. 't Hoen
- Center for Human and Clinical Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Lude Franke
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Genetics, Groningen, The Netherlands
- * E-mail:
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Abstract
Identification and functional interpretation of gene regulatory variants is a major focus of modern genomics. The application of genetic mapping to molecular and cellular traits has enabled the detection of regulatory variation on genome-wide scales and revealed an enormous diversity of regulatory architecture in humans and other species. In this review I summarise the insights gained and questions raised by a decade of genetic mapping of gene expression variation. I discuss recent extensions of this approach using alternative molecular phenotypes that have revealed some of the biological mechanisms that drive gene expression variation between individuals. Finally, I highlight outstanding problems and future directions for development.
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Rehfeld A, Plass M, Krogh A, Friis-Hansen L. Alterations in polyadenylation and its implications for endocrine disease. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2013; 4:53. [PMID: 23658553 PMCID: PMC3647115 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2013.00053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2013] [Accepted: 04/22/2013] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Polyadenylation is the process in which the pre-mRNA is cleaved at the poly(A) site and a poly(A) tail is added - a process necessary for normal mRNA formation. Genes with multiple poly(A) sites can undergo alternative polyadenylation (APA), producing distinct mRNA isoforms with different 3' untranslated regions (3' UTRs) and in some cases different coding regions. Two thirds of all human genes undergo APA. The efficiency of the polyadenylation process regulates gene expression and APA plays an important part in post-transcriptional regulation, as the 3' UTR contains various cis-elements associated with post-transcriptional regulation, such as target sites for micro-RNAs and RNA-binding proteins. Implications of alterations in polyadenylation for endocrine disease: Alterations in polyadenylation have been found to be causative of neonatal diabetes and IPEX (immune dysfunction, polyendocrinopathy, enteropathy, X-linked) and to be associated with type I and II diabetes, pre-eclampsia, fragile X-associated premature ovarian insufficiency, ectopic Cushing syndrome, and many cancer diseases, including several types of endocrine tumor diseases. PERSPECTIVES Recent developments in high-throughput sequencing have made it possible to characterize polyadenylation genome-wide. Antisense elements inhibiting or enhancing specific poly(A) site usage can induce desired alterations in polyadenylation, and thus hold the promise of new therapeutic approaches. SUMMARY This review gives a detailed description of alterations in polyadenylation in endocrine disease, an overview of the current literature on polyadenylation and summarizes the clinical implications of the current state of research in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anders Rehfeld
- Genomic Medicine, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University HospitalCopenhagen, Denmark
| | - Mireya Plass
- Department of Biology, The Bioinformatics Centre, University of CopenhagenCopenhagen, Denmark
| | - Anders Krogh
- Department of Biology, The Bioinformatics Centre, University of CopenhagenCopenhagen, Denmark
| | - Lennart Friis-Hansen
- Genomic Medicine, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University HospitalCopenhagen, Denmark
- *Correspondence: Lennart Friis-Hansen, Genomic Medicine, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, 4113, Blegdamsvej 9, DK2100 Copenhagen, Denmark. e-mail:
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