Accurate, model-based tuning of synthetic gene expression using introns in S. cerevisiae

Transcription factors induce differential splicing of duplicated ribosomal protein genes during meiosis

In baker's yeast, genes encoding ribosomal proteins often exist as duplicate pairs, typically with one 'major' paralog highly expressed and a 'minor' less expressed paralog that undergoes controlled expression through reduced splicing efficiency. In this study, we investigate the regulatory mechanisms controlling splicing of the minor paralog of the uS4 protein gene (RPS9A), demonstrating that its splicing is repressed during vegetative growth but upregulated during meiosis. This differential splicing of RPS9A is mediated by two transcription factors, Rim101 and Taf14. Deletion of either RIM101 or TAF14 not only induces the splicing and expression of RPS9A with little effect on the major paralog RPS9B, but also differentially alters the splicing of reporter constructs containing only the RPS9 introns. Both Rim101 and Taf14 co-immunoprecipitate with the chromatin and RNA of the RPS9 genes, indicating that these transcription factors may affect splicing co-transcriptionally. Deletion of the RPS9A intron, RIM101 or TAF14 dysregulates RPS9A expression, impairing the timely expression of RPS9 during meiosis. Complete deletion of RPS9A impairs the expression pattern of meiotic genes and inhibits sporulation in yeast. These findings suggest a regulatory strategy whereby transcription factors modulate the splicing of duplicated ribosomal protein genes to fine-tune their expression in different cellular states.

Intron RPS25Ai, a Novel DNA Element, Has Global Effects on Synthetic Pathway Engineering by Empowering Protein Synthesis

Classical genetic components in synthetic biology encompass essential elements of promoters, transcription factors, protein-coding genes, and terminators while both academic and industrial needs require novel engineering tools. Our study explores the potential of introns as versatile, novel biological DNA elements. Using intron RPS25Ai from Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the expression of mCherry was enhanced by 18.4-fold, demonstrating spatiotemporal regulatory patterns at both transcriptional and translational levels. A molecular mechanism study shows that this distinctive fine-tuning control relies on correct splicing events and extends to post-transcriptional processes. Intron RPS25Ai was applied to a heterologous metabolic pathway in engineered yeast, increasing β-carotene production by 4.29-fold. RPS25Ai functioned as a multilevel regulatory genetic element, enabling the increase in the expression of crtYB both at the pre-mRNA (99%) and mature RNA level (64%), with a splicing efficiency of 82%. Furthermore, the intron-engineered strain achieved a genome-scale regulation, upregulating 67% of "intron-containing" genes, with an average expression increase of 27%, compared with the upregulation of only 37% of "no-intron" genes. In addition, RPS25Ai induced a comprehensive rearrangement of ribosomal components, with the expression of 89% of ribosomal genes being upregulated, further empowering protein synthesis in the β-carotene-producing yeast cell factory.

Computational Analysis of MDR1 Variants Predicts Effect on Cancer Cells via their Effect on mRNA Folding

The P-glycoprotein efflux pump, encoded by the MDR1 gene, is an ATP-driven transporter capable of expelling a diverse array of compounds from cells. Overexpression of this protein is implicated in the multi-drug resistant phenotype observed in various cancers. Numerous studies have attempted to decipher the impact of genetic variants within MDR1 on P-glycoprotein expression, functional activity, and clinical outcomes in cancer patients. Among these, three specific single nucleotide polymorphisms-T1236C, T2677G, and T3435C - have been the focus of extensive research efforts, primarily through in vitro cell line models and clinical cohort analyses. However, the findings from these studies have been remarkably contradictory. In this study, we employ a computational, data-driven approach to systematically evaluate the effects of these three variants on principal stages of the gene expression process. Leveraging current knowledge of gene regulatory mechanisms, we elucidate potential mechanisms by which these variants could modulate P-glycoprotein levels and function. Our findings suggest that all three variants significantly change the mRNA folding in their vicinity. This change in mRNA structure is predicted to increase local translation elongation rates, but not to change the protein expression. Nonetheless, the increased translation rate near T3435C is predicted to affect the protein's co-translational folding trajectory in the region of the second ATP binding domain. This potentially impacts P-glycoprotein conformation and function. Our study demonstrates the value of computational approaches in elucidating the functional consequences of genetic variants. This framework provides new insights into the molecular mechanisms of MDR1 variants and their potential impact on cancer prognosis and treatment resistance. Furthermore, we introduce an approach which can be systematically applied to identify mutations potentially affecting mRNA folding in pathology. We demonstrate the utility of this approach on both ClinVar and TCGA and identify hundreds of disease related variants that modify mRNA folding at essential positions.

Engineering strategies for enhanced heterologous protein production by Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Microbial proteins are promising substitutes for animal- and plant-based proteins. S. cerevisiae, a generally recognized as safe (GRAS) microorganism, has been frequently employed to generate heterologous proteins. However, constructing a universal yeast chassis for efficient protein production is still a challenge due to the varying properties of different proteins. With progress in synthetic biology, a multitude of molecular biology tools and metabolic engineering strategies have been employed to alleviate these issues. This review first analyses the advantages of protein production by S. cerevisiae. The most recent advances in improving heterologous protein yield are summarized and discussed in terms of protein hyperexpression systems, protein secretion engineering, glycosylation pathway engineering and systems metabolic engineering. Furthermore, the prospects for efficient and sustainable heterologous protein production by S. cerevisiae are also provided.

Impact on splicing in Saccharomyces cerevisiae of random 50-base sequences inserted into an intron

Intron splicing is a key regulatory step in gene expression in eukaryotes. Three sequence elements required for splicing-5' and 3' splice sites and a branchpoint-are especially well-characterized in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, but our understanding of additional intron features that impact splicing in this organism is incomplete, due largely to its small number of introns. To overcome this limitation, we constructed a library in S. cerevisiae of random 50-nt (N50) elements individually inserted into the intron of a reporter gene and quantified canonical splicing and the use of cryptic splice sites by sequencing analysis. More than 70% of approximately 140,000 N50 elements reduced splicing by at least 20%. N50 features, including higher GC content, presence of GU repeats, and stronger predicted secondary structure of its pre-mRNA, correlated with reduced splicing efficiency. A likely basis for the reduced splicing of such a large proportion of variants is the formation of RNA structures that pair N50 bases-such as the GU repeats-with other bases specifically within the reporter pre-mRNA analyzed. However, multiple models were unable to explain more than a small fraction of the variance in splicing efficiency across the library, suggesting that complex nonlinear interactions in RNA structures are not accurately captured by RNA structure prediction methods. Our results imply that the specific context of a pre-mRNA may determine the bases allowable in an intron to prevent secondary structures that reduce splicing. This large data set can serve as a resource for further exploration of splicing mechanisms.

The presence of an intron relieves gene repression caused by promoter-proximal four-bp specific sequences in yeast

Introns can enhance gene expression in eukaryotic cells in a process called intron-mediated enhancement (IME). The levels of enhancement are affected not only by the intron sequence but also by coding sequences (CDSs). However, the parts of CDSs responsible for mediating IME have not yet been identified. In this study, we identified an IME-mediating sequence by analyzing three pairs of IME-sensitive and -insensitive CDSs in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Expression of the CDSs yCLuc, yRoGLU1, and KmBGA1 was enhanced by the presence of an intron (i.e., they were IME sensitive), but the expression of each corresponding codon-changed CDS, which encoded the identical amino acid sequence, was not enhanced (i.e., they were IME insensitive). Interestingly, the IME-insensitive CDSs showed higher expression levels that were like intron-enhanced expression of IME-sensitive CDSs, suggesting that expression of IME-sensitive CDSs was repressed. A four-nucleotide sequence (TCTT) located in the promoter-proximal position of either the untranslated or coding region was found to be responsible for repression in IME-sensitive CDSs, and repression caused by the TCTT sequence was relieved by the presence of an intron. Further, it was found that the expression of intron-containing yeast-native genes, UBC4 and MPT5, was repressed by TCTT in the CDS but relieved by the introns. These results indicate that TCTT sequences in promoter-proximal positions repress gene expression and that introns play a role in relieving gene repression caused by sequences such as TCTT.

Promoters and introns as key drivers for enhanced gene expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The transcription of genes in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is governed by multiple layers of regulatory elements and proteins, cooperating to ensure optimum expression of the final protein product based on the cellular requirements. Promoters have always been regarded as the most important determinant of gene transcription, but introns also play a key role in the expression of intron-encoding genes. Some introns can enhance transcription when introduced either promoter-proximal or embedded in the open reading frame of genes. However, the outcome is seldom predictable, with some introns increasing or decreasing transcription depending on the promoter and reporter gene employed. This chapter provides an overview of the general structure and function of promoters and introns and how they may cooperate during transcription to allow intron-mediated enhancement of gene expression. Since S. cerevisiae is a suitable host for recombinant protein production on a commercial level, stronger and more controllable promoters are in high demand. Enhanced gene expression can be achieved via promoter engineering, which may include introns that increase the efficacy of recombinant expression cassettes. Different models for the role of introns in transcription are briefly discussed to show how these intervening sequences can actively interact with the transcription machinery. Furthermore, recent examples of improved protein production via the introduction of promoter-proximal introns are highlighted to showcase the potential value of intron-mediated enhancement of gene expression.

Promoter-proximal introns impact recombinant amylase expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Consolidated bioprocessing (CBP) of starch requires recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains that produce raw starch-degrading enzymes and ferment the resultant sugars to ethanol in a single step. In this study, the native S. cerevisiae COX4 and RPS25A promoter-proximal introns were evaluated for enhanced expression of amylase genes (ateA, temA or temG_Opt) under the control of an S. cerevisiae promoter (ENO1P, TEF1P, TDH3P, or HXT7P). The results showed that different promoters and promoter-intron combinations differentially affected recombinant amylase production: ENO1P-COX4i and TDH3P-RPS25Ai were the best promoters for AteA, followed closely by HXT7P. The latter was also the best promoter for TemA and TemG production, followed closely by TDH3P-RPS25Ai for both these enzymes. Introducing promoter-proximal introns increased amylase activity up to 62% in Y294[ENO-COX-AteA] and Y294[TDH3-RPS-TemA], a significant improvement relative to the intron-less promoters. Strains co-expressing both an α-amylase and glucoamylase genes yielded up to 56 g/L ethanol from 20% w/v raw starch, with a higher carbon conversion observed with strains co-expressing TDH3P-RPS25Ai-temG_Opt than HXT7P-temG_Opt. The study showed that promoter-proximal introns can enhance amylase activity in S. cerevisiae and suggest that these alternative cassettes may also be considered for expression in more efficient ethanol-producing industrial yeast strains for raw starch CBP.

An overview on current molecular tools for heterologous gene expression in Trichoderma

Fungi of the genus Trichoderma are routinely used as biocontrol agents and for the production of industrial enzymes. Trichoderma spp. are interesting hosts for heterologous gene expression because their saprotrophic and mycoparasitic lifestyles enable them to thrive on a large number of nutrient sources and some members of this genus are generally recognized as safe (GRAS status). In this review, we summarize and discuss several aspects involved in heterologous gene expression in Trichoderma, including transformation methods, genome editing strategies, native and synthetic expression systems and implications of protein secretion. This review focuses on the industrial workhorse Trichoderma reesei because this fungus is the best-studied member of this genus for protein expression and secretion. However, the discussed strategies and tools can be expected to be transferable to other Trichoderma species.

A broad analysis of splicing regulation in yeast using a large library of synthetic introns

RNA splicing is a key process in eukaryotic gene expression, in which an intron is spliced out of a pre-mRNA molecule to eventually produce a mature mRNA. Most intron-containing genes are constitutively spliced, hence efficient splicing of an intron is crucial for efficient regulation of gene expression. Here we use a large synthetic oligo library of ~20,000 variants to explore how different intronic sequence features affect splicing efficiency and mRNA expression levels in S. cerevisiae. Introns are defined by three functional sites, the 5’ donor site, the branch site, and the 3’ acceptor site. Using a combinatorial design of synthetic introns, we demonstrate how non-consensus splice site sequences in each of these sites affect splicing efficiency. We then show that S. cerevisiae splicing machinery tends to select alternative 3’ splice sites downstream of the original site, and we suggest that this tendency created a selective pressure, leading to the avoidance of cryptic splice site motifs near introns’ 3’ ends. We further use natural intronic sequences from other yeast species, whose splicing machineries have diverged to various extents, to show how intron architectures in the various species have been adapted to the organism’s splicing machinery. We suggest that the observed tendency for cryptic splicing is a result of a loss of a specific splicing factor, U2AF1. Lastly, we show that synthetic sequences containing two introns give rise to alternative RNA isoforms in S. cerevisiae, demonstrating that merely a synthetic fusion of two introns might be suffice to facilitate alternative splicing in yeast. Our study reveals novel mechanisms by which introns are shaped in evolution to allow cells to regulate their transcriptome. In addition, it provides a valuable resource to study the regulation of constitutive and alternative splicing in a model organism.

RNA splicing is a process in which parts of a new pre-mRNA are spliced out of the mRNA molecule to produce eventually a mature mRNA. Those RNA segments that are spliced out are termed introns, and they are found in most genes in eukaryotic organisms. Hence regulation of this process has a major role in the control of gene expression.

The budding yeast S. cerevisiae is a popular model organism for eukaryotic cell biology, but in terms of splicing it differs, as it has only few intron-containing genes. Nevertheless, this species has been used to study basic principles of splicing regulation based on its ~300 introns. Here we used the technology of a large synthetic genetic library to introduce many new intron-containing genes to the yeast genome, to explore splicing regulation at a wider scope than was possible so far.

Reassuringly, our results confirm known regulatory mechanisms, and further expand our understanding of splicing regulation, specifically how the yeast splicing machinery interacts with the end of introns, and how through evolution introns have evolved to avoid unwanted misidentifications of this end. We further demonstrate the potential of the yeast splicing machinery to alternatively splice a two-intron gene, which is common in other eukaryotes but rare in yeast. Our work presents a first-of-its-kind resource for the systematic study of splicing in live cells.

Robust and flexible platform for directed evolution of yeast genetic switches

A wide repertoire of genetic switches has accelerated prokaryotic synthetic biology, while eukaryotic synthetic biology has lagged in the model organism Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Eukaryotic genetic switches are larger and more complex than prokaryotic ones, complicating the rational design and evolution of them. Here, we present a robust workflow for the creation and evolution of yeast genetic switches. The selector system was designed so that both ON- and OFF-state selection of genetic switches is completed solely by liquid handling, and it enabled parallel screen/selection of different motifs with different selection conditions. Because selection threshold of both ON- and OFF-state selection can be flexibly tuned, the desired selection conditions can be rapidly pinned down for individual directed evolution experiments without a prior knowledge either on the library population. The system's utility was demonstrated using 20 independent directed evolution experiments, yielding genetic switches with elevated inducer sensitivities, inverted switching behaviours, sensory functions, and improved signal-to-noise ratio (>100-fold induction). The resulting yeast genetic switches were readily integrated, in a plug-and-play manner, into an AND-gated carotenoid biosynthesis pathway.

Regulation of ribosomal protein genes: An ordered anarchy

Ribosomal protein genes are among the most highly expressed genes in most cell types. Their products are generally essential for ribosome synthesis, which is the cornerstone for cell growth and proliferation. Many cellular resources are dedicated to producing ribosomal proteins and thus this process needs to be regulated in ways that carefully balance the supply of nascent ribosomal proteins with the demand for new ribosomes. Ribosomal protein genes have classically been viewed as a uniform interconnected regulon regulated in eukaryotic cells by target of rapamycin and protein kinase A pathway in response to changes in growth conditions and/or cellular status. However, recent literature depicts a more complex picture in which the amount of ribosomal proteins produced varies between genes in response to two overlapping regulatory circuits. The first includes the classical general ribosome‐producing program and the second is a gene‐specific feature responsible for fine‐tuning the amount of ribosomal proteins produced from each individual ribosomal gene. Unlike the general pathway that is mainly controlled at the level of transcription and translation, this specific regulation of ribosomal protein genes is largely achieved through changes in pre‐mRNA splicing efficiency and mRNA stability. By combining general and specific regulation, the cell can coordinate ribosome production, while allowing functional specialization and diversity. Here we review the many ways ribosomal protein genes are regulated, with special focus on the emerging role of posttranscriptional regulatory events in fine‐tuning the expression of ribosomal protein genes and its role in controlling the potential variation in ribosome functions.

This article is categorized under:

Translation > Ribosome Biogenesis

Translation > Ribosome Structure/Function

Translation > Translation Regulation

Differential expression of duplicated ribosomal protein genes modifies ribosome composition in response to stress

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, most ribosomal proteins are synthesized from duplicated genes, increasing the potential for ribosome heterogeneity. However, the contribution of these duplicated genes to ribosome production and the mechanism determining their relative expression remain unclear. Here we demonstrate that in most cases, one of the two gene copies generate the bulk of the active ribosomes under normal growth conditions, while the other copy is favored only under stress. To understand the origin of these differences in paralog expression and their contribution to ribosome heterogeneity we used RNA polymerase II ChIP-Seq, RNA-seq, polyribosome association and peptide-based mass-spectrometry to compare their transcription potential, splicing, mRNA abundance, translation potential, protein abundance and incorporation into ribosomes. In normal conditions a post-transcriptional expression hierarchy of the duplicated ribosomal protein genes is the product of the efficient splicing, high stability and efficient translation of the major paralog mRNA. Exposure of the cell to stress modifies the expression ratio of the paralogs by repressing the expression of the major paralog and thus increasing the number of ribosomes carrying the minor paralog. Together the data indicate that duplicated ribosomal protein genes underlie a modular network permitting the modification of ribosome composition in response to changing growth conditions.

Evolution of intron splicing towards optimized gene expression is based on various Cis- and Trans-molecular mechanisms

Splicing expands, reshapes, and regulates the transcriptome of eukaryotic organisms. Despite its importance, key questions remain unanswered, including the following: Can splicing evolve when organisms adapt to new challenges? How does evolution optimize inefficiency of introns’ splicing and of the splicing machinery? To explore these questions, we evolved yeast cells that were engineered to contain an inefficiently spliced intron inside a gene whose protein product was under selection for an increased expression level. We identified a combination of mutations in Cis (within the gene of interest) and in Trans (in mRNA-maturation machinery). Surprisingly, the mutations in Cis resided outside of known intronic functional sites and improved the intron’s splicing efficiency potentially by easing tight mRNA structures. One of these mutations hampered a protein’s domain that was not under selection, demonstrating the evolutionary flexibility of multi-domain proteins as one domain functionality was improved at the expense of the other domain. The Trans adaptations resided in two proteins, Npl3 and Gbp2, that bind pre-mRNAs and are central to their maturation. Interestingly, these mutations either increased or decreased the affinity of these proteins to mRNA, presumably allowing faster spliceosome recruitment or increased time before degradation of the pre-mRNAs, respectively. Altogether, our work reveals various mechanistic pathways toward optimizations of intron splicing to ultimately adapt gene expression patterns to novel demands.

An experimental evolution study involving an inefficiently spliced intron reveals that the splicing machinery, introns, and RNA quality control factors evolve in Cis and in Trans when cells optimize their transcriptome to new challenges.

In vivo measurements reveal a single 5'-intron is sufficient to increase protein expression level in Caenorhabditis elegans

Introns can increase gene expression levels using a variety of mechanisms collectively referred to as Intron Mediated Enhancement (IME). IME has been measured in cell culture and plant models by quantifying expression of intronless and intron-bearing reporter genes in vitro. We developed hardware and software to implement microfluidic chip-based gene expression quantification in vivo. We altered position, number and sequence of introns in reporter genes controlled by the hsp-90 promoter. Consistent with plant and mammalian studies, we determined a single, natural or synthetic, 5'-intron is sufficient for the full IME effect conferred by three synthetic introns, while a 3'-intron is not. We found coding sequence can affect IME; the same three synthetic introns that increase mcherry protein concentration by approximately 50%, increase mEGFP by 80%. We determined IME effect size is not greatly affected by the stronger vit-2 promoter. Our microfluidic imaging approach should facilitate screens for factors affecting IME and other intron-dependent processes.

Image-Processing Software for High-Throughput Quantification of Colony Luminescence

Many microbiological assays include colonies that produce a luminescent or fluorescent (here generalized as "luminescent") signal, often in the form of luminescent halos around the colonies. These signals are used as reporters for a trait of interest; therefore, exact measurements of the luminescence are often desired. However, there is currently a lack of high-throughput methods for analyzing these assays, as common automatic image analysis tools are unsuitable for identifying these halos in the presence of the inherent biological noise. In this work, we have developed CFQuant-automatic, high-throughput software for the analysis of images from colony luminescence assays. CFQuant overcomes the problems of automatic identification by relying on the luminescence halo's expected shape and provides measurements of several features of the colonies and halos. We examined the performance of CFQuant using one such colony luminescence assay, where we achieved a high correlation (R = 0.85) between the measurements of CFQuant and known protein expression levels. This demonstrates CFQuant's potential as a fast and reliable tool for analysis of colony luminescence assays.IMPORTANCE Luminescent markers are widely used as reporters for various biologically interesting traits. In colony luminescence assays, the levels of luminescence around each colony can be used to compare the levels of traits of interest for different strains, treatments, etc., using quantitative measurements of the luminescence. However, automatic methods of obtaining this data are underdeveloped, making this a laborious manual process, especially in analyzing large numbers of colonies. The significance of this work is in developing an automatic, high-throughput tool for quantitative analysis of colony luminescence assays, which will allow fast collection of qualitative data from these assays and thus increase their overall usability.

A code for transcription elongation speed

The two major steps of gene expression are transcription and translation. While hundreds of studies regarding the effect of sequence features on the translation elongation process have been published, very few connect sequence features to the transcription elongation rate. We suggest, for the first time, that short transcript sub-sequences have a typical effect on RNA polymerase (RNAP) speed: we show that nucleotide 5-mers tend to have typical RNAP speed (or transcription rate), which is consistent along different parts of genes and among different groups of genes with high correlation. We also demonstrate that relative RNAP speed correlates with mRNA levels of endogenous and heterologous genes. Furthermore, we show that the estimated transcription and translation elongation rates correlate in endogenous genes. Finally, we demonstrate that our results are consistent for different high resolution experimental measurements of RNAP densities. These results suggest for the first time that transcription elongation is partly encoded in the transcript, affected by the codon-usage, and optimized by evolution with a significant effect on gene expression and organismal fitness.

Unsupervised detection of regulatory gene expression information in different genomic regions enables gene expression ranking

Background

The regulation of all gene expression steps (e.g., Transcription, RNA processing, Translation, and mRNA Degradation) is known to be primarily encoded in different parts of genes and in genomic regions in proximity to genes (e.g., promoters, untranslated regions, coding regions, introns, etc.). However, the entire gene expression codes and the genomic regions where they are encoded are still unknown.

Results

Here, we employ an unsupervised approach to estimate the concentration of gene expression codes in different non-coding parts of genes and transcripts, such as introns and untranslated regions, focusing on three model organisms (Escherichia coli, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Schizosaccharomyces pombe). Our analyses support the conjecture that regions adjacent to the beginning and end of ORFs and the beginning and end of introns tend to include higher concentration of gene expression information relatively to regions further away. In addition, we report the exact regions with elevated concentration of gene expression codes. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the concentration of these codes in different genetic regions is correlated with the expression levels of the corresponding genes, and with splicing efficiency measurements and meiotic stage gene expression measurements in S. cerevisiae.

Conclusion

We suggest that these discoveries improve our understanding of gene expression regulation and evolution; they can also be used for developing improved models of genome/gene evolution and for engineering gene expression in various biotechnological and synthetic biology applications.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12859-017-1497-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Selection for reduced translation costs at the intronic 5' end in fungi

It is generally believed that introns are not translated; therefore, the potential intronic features that may be related to the translation step (occurring after splicing) have yet to be thoroughly studied. Here, focusing on four fungi, we performed for the first time a comprehensive study aimed at characterizing how translation efficiency is encoded in introns and affects their evolution. By analysing their intronome we provide evidence of selection for STOP codons close to the intronic 5′ end, and show that the beginning of introns are selected for significantly high translation, presumably to reduce translation and metabolic costs in cases of non-spliced introns. Ribosomal profiling data analysis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae supports the conjecture that in this organism intron retention frequently occurs, introns are partially translated, and their translation efficiency affects organismal fitness. We show that the reported results are more significant in highly translated and highly spliced genes, but are not associated only with genes with a specific function. We also discuss the potential relation of the reported signals to efficient nonsense-mediated decay due to splicing errors. These new discoveries are supported by population-genetics considerations. In addition, they are contributory steps towards a broader understanding of intron evolution and the effect of silent mutations on gene expression and organismal fitness.

Technology development for natural product biosynthesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The explosion of genomic sequence data and the significant advancements in synthetic biology have led to the development of new technologies for natural products discovery and production. Using powerful genetic tools, the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been engineered as a production host for natural product pathways from bacterial, fungal, and plant species. With an expanding library of characterized genetic parts, biosynthetic pathways can be refactored for optimized expression in yeast. New engineering strategies have enabled the increased production of valuable secondary metabolites by tuning metabolic pathways. Improvements in high-throughput screening methods have facilitated the rapid identification of variants with improved biosynthetic capabilities. In this review, we focus on the molecular tools and engineering strategies that have recently empowered heterologous natural product biosynthesis.

Introns regulate the production of ribosomal proteins by modulating splicing of duplicated ribosomal protein genes

Most budding yeast introns exist in the many duplicated ribosomal protein genes (RPGs) and it has been posited that they remain there to modulate the expression of RPGs and cell growth in response to stress. However, the mechanism by which introns regulate the expression of RPGs and their impact on the synthesis of ribosomal proteins remain unclear. In this study, we show that introns determine the ratio of ribosomal protein isoforms through asymmetric paralog-specific regulation of splicing. Exchanging the introns and 3′ untranslated regions of the duplicated RPS9 genes altered the splicing efficiency and changed the ratio of the ribosomal protein isoforms. Mutational analysis of the RPS9 genes indicated that splicing is regulated by variations in the intron structure and the 3′ untranslated region. Together these data suggest that preferential splicing of duplicated RPGs provides a means for adjusting the ratio of different ribosomal protein isoforms, while maintaining the overall expression level of each ribosomal protein.

Synthesis and cell-free cloning of DNA libraries using programmable microfluidics

Microfluidics may revolutionize our ability to write synthetic DNA by addressing several fundamental limitations associated with generating novel genetic constructs. Here we report the first de novo synthesis and cell-free cloning of custom DNA libraries in sub-microliter reaction droplets using programmable digital microfluidics. Specifically, we developed Programmable Order Polymerization (POP), Microfluidic Combinatorial Assembly of DNA (M-CAD) and Microfluidic In-vitro Cloning (MIC) and applied them to de novo synthesis, combinatorial assembly and cell-free cloning of genes, respectively. Proof-of-concept for these methods was demonstrated by programming an autonomous microfluidic system to construct and clone libraries of yeast ribosome binding sites and bacterial Azurine, which were then retrieved in individual droplets and validated. The ability to rapidly and robustly generate designer DNA molecules in an autonomous manner should have wide application in biological research and development.

Nucleotide sequence composition adjacent to intronic splice sites improves splicing efficiency via its effect on pre-mRNA local folding in fungi

RNA splicing is the central process of intron removal in eukaryotes known to regulate various cellular functions such as growth, development, and response to external signals. The canonical sequences indicating the splicing sites needed for intronic boundary recognition are well known. However, the roles and evolution of the local folding of intronic and exonic sequence features adjacent to splice sites has yet to be thoroughly studied. Here, focusing on four fungi (Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Aspergillus nidulans, and Candida albicans), we performed for the first time a comprehensive high-resolution study aimed at characterizing the encoding of intronic splicing efficiency in pre-mRNA transcripts and its effect on intron evolution. Our analysis supports the conjecture that pre-mRNA local folding strength at intronic boundaries is under selective pressure, as it significantly affects splicing efficiency. Specifically, we show that in the immediate region of 12-30 nucleotides (nt) surrounding the intronic donor site there is a preference for weak pre-mRNA folding; similarly, in the region of 15-33 nt surrounding the acceptor and branch sites there is a preference for weak pre-mRNA folding. We also show that in most cases there is a preference for strong pre-mRNA folding further away from intronic splice sites. In addition, we demonstrate that these signals are not associated with gene-specific functions, and they correlate with splicing efficiency measurements (r = 0.77, P = 2.98 × 10(-21)) and with expression levels of the corresponding genes (P = 1.24 × 10(-19)). We suggest that pre-mRNA folding strength in the above-mentioned regions has a direct effect on splicing efficiency by improving the recognition of intronic boundaries. These new discoveries are contributory steps toward a broader understanding of splicing regulation and intronic/transcript evolution.

Establishing Chlamydomonas reinhardtii as an industrial biotechnology host

Microalgae constitute a diverse group of eukaryotic unicellular organisms that are of interest for pure and applied research. Owing to their natural synthesis of value-added natural products microalgae are emerging as a source of sustainable chemical compounds, proteins and metabolites, including but not limited to those that could replace compounds currently made from fossil fuels. For the model microalga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, this has prompted a period of rapid development so that this organism is poised for exploitation as an industrial biotechnology platform. The question now is how best to achieve this? Highly advanced industrial biotechnology systems using bacteria and yeasts were established in a classical metabolic engineering manner over several decades. However, the advent of advanced molecular tools and the rise of synthetic biology provide an opportunity to expedite the development of C. reinhardtii as an industrial biotechnology platform, avoiding the process of incremental improvement. In this review we describe the current status of genetic manipulation of C. reinhardtii for metabolic engineering. We then introduce several concepts that underpin synthetic biology, and show how generic parts are identified and used in a standard manner to achieve predictable outputs. Based on this we suggest that the development of C. reinhardtii as an industrial biotechnology platform can be achieved more efficiently through adoption of a synthetic biology approach.

Nuclear pore components affect distinct stages of intron-containing gene expression

Several nuclear pore-associated factors, including the SUMO-protease Ulp1, have been proposed to prevent the export of intron-containing messenger ribonucleoparticles (mRNPs) in yeast. However, the molecular mechanisms of this nuclear pore-dependent mRNA quality control, including the sumoylated targets of Ulp1, have remained unidentified. Here, we demonstrate that the apparent 'pre-mRNA leakage' phenotype arising upon ULP1 inactivation is shared by sumoylation mutants of the THO complex, an early mRNP biogenesis factor. Importantly, we establish that alteration of THO complex activity differentially impairs the expression of intronless and intron-containing reporter genes, rather than triggering bona fide 'pre-mRNA leakage'. Indeed, we show that the presence of introns within THO target genes attenuates the effect of THO inactivation on their transcription. Epistasis analyses further clarify that different nuclear pore components influence intron-containing gene expression at distinct stages. Ulp1, whose maintenance at nuclear pores depends on the Nup84 complex, impacts on THO-dependent gene expression, whereas the nuclear basket-associated Mlp1/Pml39 proteins prevent pre-mRNA export at a later stage, contributing to mRNA quality control. Our study thus highlights the multiplicity of mechanisms by which nuclear pores contribute to gene expression, and further provides the first evidence that intronic sequences can alleviate early mRNP biogenesis defects.