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Song J, Yao L, Gooding AR, Thron V, Kasinath V, Cech TR. Diverse RNA Structures Induce PRC2 Dimerization and Inhibit Histone Methyltransferase Activity. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.08.29.610323. [PMID: 39257770 PMCID: PMC11383989 DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.29.610323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/12/2024]
Abstract
Methyltransferase PRC2 (Polycomb Repressive Complex 2) introduces histone H3K27 trimethylation, a repressive chromatin mark, to tune the differential expression of genes. PRC2 is precisely regulated by accessory proteins, histone post-translational modifications and, notably, RNA. Research on PRC2-associated RNA has mostly focused on the tight-binding G-quadruplex (G4) RNAs, which inhibit PRC2 enzymatic activity in vitro and in cells. Our recent cryo-EM structure provided a molecular mechanism for G4 RNA inactivating PRC2 via dimerization, but it remained unclear how diverse RNAs associate with and regulate PRC2. Here, we show that a single-stranded G-rich RNA and an atypical G4 structure called pUG-fold unexpectedly also mediate near-identical PRC2 dimerization resulting in inhibition of PRC2 methyltransferase activity. The conformational flexibility of arginine-rich loops within subunits EZH2 and AEBP2 of PRC2 can accommodate diverse RNA secondary structures, resulting in protein-RNA and protein-protein interfaces similar to those observed previously with G4 RNA. Furthermore, we address a recent report that failed to detect PRC2-associated RNAs in living cells by demonstrating the insensitivity of PRC2-RNA interaction to photochemical crosslinking. Our results support the significance of RNA-mediated PRC2 regulation by showing that this interaction is not limited to a single RNA secondary structure, consistent with the broad PRC2 transcriptome containing many G-tract RNAs incapable of folding into G4 structures.
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McIntyre KL, Waters SA, Zhong L, Hart-Smith G, Raftery M, Chew ZA, Patel HR, Graves JAM, Waters PD. Identification of the RSX interactome in a marsupial shows functional coherence with the Xist interactome during X inactivation. Genome Biol 2024; 25:134. [PMID: 38783307 PMCID: PMC11112854 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-024-03280-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The marsupial specific RSX lncRNA is the functional analogue of the eutherian specific XIST, which coordinates X chromosome inactivation. We characterized the RSX interactome in a marsupial representative (the opossum Monodelphis domestica), identifying 135 proteins, of which 54 had orthologues in the XIST interactome. Both interactomes were enriched for biological pathways related to RNA processing, regulation of translation, and epigenetic transcriptional silencing. This represents a remarkable example showcasing the functional coherence of independently evolved lncRNAs in distantly related mammalian lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim L McIntyre
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Shafagh A Waters
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Ling Zhong
- Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry Facility, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Gene Hart-Smith
- Australian Proteome Analysis Facility, Macquarie University, Macquarie Park, NSW, Australia
| | - Mark Raftery
- Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry Facility, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Zahra A Chew
- National Centre for Indigenous Genomics, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - Hardip R Patel
- National Centre for Indigenous Genomics, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | | | - Paul D Waters
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.
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Li S, Eberhard Q, Ni L, Calabrese JM. Improved functions for non-linear sequence comparison using SEEKR. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.10.584286. [PMID: 38496437 PMCID: PMC10942450 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.10.584286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
SEquence Evaluation through k -mer Representation (SEEKR) is a method of sequence comparison that utilizes sequence substrings called k -mers to quantify non-linear similarity between nucleic acid species. We describe the development of new functions within SEEKR that enable end-users to estimate p-values that ascribe statistical significance to SEEKR-derived similarities as well as visualize different aspects of k -mer similarity. We apply the new functions to identify chromatin-enriched long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) that harbor XIST -like sequence fragments and show that several of these fragments are bound by XIST -associated proteins. We also highlight the best practice of using RNA-Seq data to evaluate support for lncRNA annotations prior to their in-depth study in cell types of interest.
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Peeters SB, Posynick BJ, Brown CJ. Out of the Silence: Insights into How Genes Escape X-Chromosome Inactivation. EPIGENOMES 2023; 7:29. [PMID: 38131901 PMCID: PMC10742877 DOI: 10.3390/epigenomes7040029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Revised: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The silencing of all but one X chromosome in mammalian cells is a remarkable epigenetic process leading to near dosage equivalence in X-linked gene products between the sexes. However, equally remarkable is the ability of a subset of genes to continue to be expressed from the otherwise inactive X chromosome-in some cases constitutively, while other genes are variable between individuals, tissues or cells. In this review we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the approaches that have been used to identify escapees. The identity of escapees provides important clues to mechanisms underlying escape from XCI, an arena of study now moving from correlation to functional studies. As most escapees show greater expression in females, the not-so-inactive X chromosome is a substantial contributor to sex differences in humans, and we highlight some examples of such impact.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Carolyn J. Brown
- Molecular Epigenetics Group, Department of Medical Genetics, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, 2350 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
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Kaufmann C, Wutz A. IndiSPENsable for X Chromosome Inactivation and Gene Silencing. EPIGENOMES 2023; 7:28. [PMID: 37987303 PMCID: PMC10660550 DOI: 10.3390/epigenomes7040028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
For about 30 years, SPEN has been the subject of research in many different fields due to its variety of functions and its conservation throughout a wide spectrum of species, like worms, arthropods, and vertebrates. To date, 216 orthologues have been documented. SPEN had been studied for its role in gene regulation in the context of cell signaling, including the NOTCH or nuclear hormone receptor signaling pathways. More recently, SPEN has been identified as a major regulator of initiation of chromosome-wide gene silencing during X chromosome inactivation (XCI) in mammals, where its function remains to be fully understood. Dependent on the biological context, SPEN functions via mechanisms which include different domains. While some domains of SPEN are highly conserved in sequence and secondary structure, species-to-species differences exist that might lead to mechanistic differences. Initiation of XCI appears to be different between humans and mice, which raises additional questions about the extent of generalization of SPEN's function in XCI. In this review, we dissect the mechanism of SPEN in XCI. We discuss its subregions and domains, focusing on its role as a major regulator. We further highlight species-related research, specifically of mouse and human SPEN, with the aim to reveal and clarify potential species-to-species differences in SPEN's function.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anton Wutz
- Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, Department of Biology, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology ETH Hönggerberg, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland;
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6
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Masui O, Corbel C, Nagao K, Endo TA, Kezuka F, Diabangouaya P, Nakayama M, Kumon M, Koseki Y, Obuse C, Koseki H, Heard E. Polycomb repressive complexes 1 and 2 are each essential for maintenance of X inactivation in extra-embryonic lineages. Nat Cell Biol 2023; 25:134-144. [PMID: 36635505 DOI: 10.1038/s41556-022-01047-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
In female mammals, one of the two X chromosomes becomes inactivated during development by X-chromosome inactivation (XCI). Although Polycomb repressive complex (PRC) 1 and PRC2 have both been implicated in gene silencing, their exact roles in XCI during in vivo development have remained elusive. To this end, we have studied mouse embryos lacking either PRC1 or PRC2. Here we demonstrate that the loss of either PRC has a substantial impact on maintenance of gene silencing on the inactive X chromosome (Xi) in extra-embryonic tissues, with overlapping yet different genes affected, indicating potentially independent roles of the two complexes. Importantly, a lack of PRC1 does not affect PRC2/H3K27me3 accumulation and a lack of PRC2 does not impact PRC1/H2AK119ub1 accumulation on the Xi. Thus PRC1 and PRC2 contribute independently to the maintenance of XCI in early post-implantation extra-embryonic lineages, revealing that both Polycomb complexes can be directly involved and differently deployed in XCI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Osamu Masui
- Laboratory for Developmental Genetics, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan.,Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Catherine Corbel
- Unité de Génétique et Biologie du Développement, Institut Curie, PSL Research University, CNRS UMR 3215, INSERM U934, Paris, France
| | - Koji Nagao
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Japan
| | - Takaho A Endo
- Laboratory for Integrative Genomics, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Fuyuko Kezuka
- Laboratory for Developmental Genetics, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Patricia Diabangouaya
- Unité de Génétique et Biologie du Développement, Institut Curie, PSL Research University, CNRS UMR 3215, INSERM U934, Paris, France
| | - Manabu Nakayama
- Laboratory of Medical Omics Research, Kazusa DNA Research Institute, Kisarazu, Japan
| | - Mami Kumon
- Laboratory for Developmental Genetics, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Yoko Koseki
- Laboratory for Developmental Genetics, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Chikashi Obuse
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Japan
| | - Haruhiko Koseki
- Laboratory for Developmental Genetics, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan. .,Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.
| | - Edith Heard
- Unité de Génétique et Biologie du Développement, Institut Curie, PSL Research University, CNRS UMR 3215, INSERM U934, Paris, France. .,Collège de France, Paris, France. .,European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Directors' research unit, Heidelberg, Germany.
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Zhao C, Biondic S, Vandal K, Björklund ÅK, Hagemann-Jensen M, Sommer TM, Canizo J, Clark S, Raymond P, Zenklusen DR, Rivron N, Reik W, Petropoulos S. Single-cell multi-omics of human preimplantation embryos shows susceptibility to glucocorticoids. Genome Res 2022; 32:1627-1641. [PMID: 35948369 PMCID: PMC9528977 DOI: 10.1101/gr.276665.122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The preconceptual, intrauterine, and early life environments can have a profound and long-lasting impact on the developmental trajectories and health outcomes of the offspring. Given the relatively low success rates of assisted reproductive technologies (ART; ∼25%), additives and adjuvants, such as glucocorticoids, are used to improve the success rate. Considering the dynamic developmental events that occur during this window, these exposures may alter blastocyst formation at a molecular level, and as such, affect not only the viability of the embryo and the ability of the blastocyst to implant, but also the developmental trajectory of the first three cell lineages, ultimately influencing the physiology of the embryo. In this study, we present a comprehensive single-cell transcriptome, methylome, and small RNA atlas in the day 7 human embryo. We show that, despite no change in morphology and developmental features, preimplantation glucocorticoid exposure reprograms the molecular profile of the trophectoderm (TE) lineage, and these changes are associated with an altered metabolic and inflammatory response. Our data also suggest that glucocorticoids can precociously mature the TE sublineages, supported by the presence of extravillous trophoblast markers in the polar sublineage and presence of X Chromosome dosage compensation. Further, we have elucidated that epigenetic regulation-DNA methylation and microRNAs (miRNAs)-likely underlies the transcriptional changes observed. This study suggests that exposures to exogenous compounds during preimplantation may unintentionally reprogram the human embryo, possibly leading to suboptimal development and longer-term health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Zhao
- Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Karolinska Institutet, 14186 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Savana Biondic
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Axe Immunopathologie, H2X 0A9 Montréal, Canada
- Département de Médecine, Université de Montréal, H3T 1J4 Montréal, Canada
| | - Katherine Vandal
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Axe Immunopathologie, H2X 0A9 Montréal, Canada
- Département de Médecine, Université de Montréal, H3T 1J4 Montréal, Canada
| | - Åsa K Björklund
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, National Bioinformatics Infrastructure Sweden, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, SE-752 37 Uppsala, Sweden
| | | | - Theresa Maria Sommer
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Jesica Canizo
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Axe Immunopathologie, H2X 0A9 Montréal, Canada
- Département de Médecine, Université de Montréal, H3T 1J4 Montréal, Canada
| | - Stephen Clark
- Epigenetics Programme, Babraham Institute, Cambridge CB22 3AT, United Kingdom
| | - Pascal Raymond
- Département de Biochimie et Médecine Moléculaire, Université de Montréal, H3T 1J4 Montréal, Canada
| | - Daniel R Zenklusen
- Département de Biochimie et Médecine Moléculaire, Université de Montréal, H3T 1J4 Montréal, Canada
| | - Nicolas Rivron
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Wolf Reik
- Epigenetics Programme, Babraham Institute, Cambridge CB22 3AT, United Kingdom
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge CB10 1RQ, United Kingdom
- Center for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EG, United Kingdom
| | - Sophie Petropoulos
- Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Karolinska Institutet, 14186 Stockholm, Sweden
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Axe Immunopathologie, H2X 0A9 Montréal, Canada
- Département de Médecine, Université de Montréal, H3T 1J4 Montréal, Canada
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8
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XIST loss impairs mammary stem cell differentiation and increases tumorigenicity through Mediator hyperactivation. Cell 2022; 185:2164-2183.e25. [PMID: 35597241 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2022.04.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Revised: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
X inactivation (XCI) is triggered by upregulation of XIST, which coats the chromosome in cis, promoting formation of a heterochromatic domain (Xi). XIST role beyond initiation of XCI is only beginning to be elucidated. Here, we demonstrate that XIST loss impairs differentiation of human mammary stem cells (MaSCs) and promotes emergence of highly tumorigenic and metastatic carcinomas. On the Xi, XIST deficiency triggers epigenetic changes and reactivation of genes overlapping Polycomb domains, including Mediator subunit MED14. MED14 overdosage results in increased Mediator levels and hyperactivation of the MaSC enhancer landscape and transcriptional program, making differentiation less favorable. We further demonstrate that loss of XIST and Xi transcriptional instability is common among human breast tumors of poor prognosis. We conclude that XIST is a gatekeeper of human mammary epithelium homeostasis, thus unveiling a paradigm in the control of somatic cell identity with potential consequences for our understanding of gender-specific malignancies.
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9
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LncRNA: a new perspective on the study of neurological diseases. Biochem Soc Trans 2022; 50:951-963. [PMID: 35383841 DOI: 10.1042/bst20211181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Revised: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a class of non-coding RNA with a length greater than 200 nt. It has a mRNA-like structure, formed by splicing after transcription, and contains a polyA tail and a promoter, of whom promoter plays a role by binding transcription factors. LncRNAs' sequences are low in conservation, and other species can only find a handful of the same lncRNAs as humans, and there are different splicing ways during the differentiation of identical species, with spatiotemporal expression specificity. With developing high-throughput sequencing and bioinformatics, found that more and more lncRNAs associated with nervous system disease. This article deals with the regulation of certain lncRNAs in the nervous system disease, by mean of to understand its mechanism of action, and the pathogenesis of some neurological diseases have a fresh understanding, deposit a foundation for resulting research and clinical treatment of disease.
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Li J, Ming Z, Yang L, Wang T, Liu G, Ma Q. Long noncoding RNA XIST: Mechanisms for X chromosome inactivation, roles in sex-biased diseases, and therapeutic opportunities. Genes Dis 2022; 9:1478-1492. [PMID: 36157489 PMCID: PMC9485286 DOI: 10.1016/j.gendis.2022.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Revised: 04/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexual dimorphism has been reported in various human diseases including autoimmune diseases, neurological diseases, pulmonary arterial hypertension, and some types of cancers, although the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. The long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) X-inactive specific transcript (XIST) is involved in X chromosome inactivation (XCI) in female placental mammals, a process that ensures the balanced expression dosage of X-linked genes between sexes. XIST is abnormally expressed in many sex-biased diseases. In addition, escape from XIST-mediated XCI and skewed XCI also contribute to sex-biased diseases. Therefore, its expression or modification can be regarded as a biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of many sex-biased diseases. Genetic manipulation of XIST expression can inhibit the progression of some of these diseases in animal models, and therefore XIST has been proposed as a potential therapeutic target. In this manuscript, we summarize the current knowledge about the mechanisms for XIST-mediated XCI and the roles of XIST in sex-biased diseases, and discuss potential therapeutic strategies targeting XIST.
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Dixon-McDougall T, Brown CJ. Multiple distinct domains of human XIST are required to coordinate gene silencing and subsequent heterochromatin formation. Epigenetics Chromatin 2022; 15:6. [PMID: 35120578 PMCID: PMC8815261 DOI: 10.1186/s13072-022-00438-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Mammalian dosage compensation is achieved by the inactivation of one X chromosome in XX individuals. In eutheria this process is initiated early in development by the long non-coding RNA XIST. Studies of the initiation of silencing by XIST have focussed on mouse models, so the domains of XIST required to induce silencing in humans, and their relationship with domains required to establish heterochromatin remain to be determined. Methods We have previously established an inducible XIST cDNA in somatic cells and shown it can induce silencing and recruit heterochromatic features. We now assess a series of deletions across the transgene for the ability to induce silencing and integrate these results with time-course and chromatin-remodelling inhibitor treatments to follow the steps of XIST-induced silencing and heterochromatinization. Discussion We find that in addition to the previously reported necessity of the 5’ A repeat region for XIST-induced silencing, the 1 kb around the small F repeat region and a non-repetitive region at the 3’ end of the RNA are also required to silence genes. Silencing of genes up to 17 Mb from the XIST integration occurs within 2 days, while formation of a Cot-1 depleted domain is slower, and more dependent on the region encompassing Repeat F. The role of this region encompassing Repeat F in both the silencing of actively transcribed genes, the spread of H3K27me3 and the formation of a transcriptionally inert domain suggests a role in a pathway crucial for the spread of XIST across the chromatin to target distal regions of inactivation. Histone deacetylation requires only the A repeat region, with HDAC3 inhibition showing limited effect on silencing, but an impact on H3K27me3 recruitment, and as a result the recruitment of MacroH2A. Global HDAC inhibition impacted silencing in both a distance and dose-dependent fashion. The E repeat region was required for CIZ1 and H4K20me1 recruitment as well as H3K27me3; however, these appeared to act relatively independently. The H3K27me3 mark established by PRC2 integrated silencing and many of the heterochromatic features, while the PRC1 mark ubH2A appeared to be downstream of silencing in these human somatic cells. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13072-022-00438-7.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Carolyn J Brown
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
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12
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Faber MW, Vo TV. Long RNA-Mediated Chromatin Regulation in Fission Yeast and Mammals. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:968. [PMID: 35055152 PMCID: PMC8778201 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23020968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Revised: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
As part of a complex network of genome control, long regulatory RNAs exert significant influences on chromatin dynamics. Understanding how this occurs could illuminate new avenues for disease treatment and lead to new hypotheses that would advance gene regulatory research. Recent studies using the model fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe (S. pombe) and powerful parallel sequencing technologies have provided many insights in this area. This review will give an overview of key findings in S. pombe that relate long RNAs to multiple levels of chromatin regulation: histone modifications, gene neighborhood regulation in cis and higher-order chromosomal ordering. Moreover, we discuss parallels recently found in mammals to help bridge the knowledge gap between the study systems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tommy V. Vo
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA;
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13
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Raposo AC, Casanova M, Gendrel AV, da Rocha ST. The tandem repeat modules of Xist lncRNA: a swiss army knife for the control of X-chromosome inactivation. Biochem Soc Trans 2021; 49:2549-2560. [PMID: 34882219 PMCID: PMC8786293 DOI: 10.1042/bst20210253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Revised: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
X-inactive-specific transcript (Xist) is a long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) essential for X-chromosome inactivation (XCI) in female placental mammals. Thirty years after its discovery, it is still puzzling how this lncRNA triggers major structural and transcriptional changes leading to the stable silencing of an entire chromosome. Recently, a series of studies in mouse cells have uncovered domains of functional specialization within Xist mapping to conserved tandem repeat regions, known as Repeats A-to-F. These functional domains interact with various RNA binding proteins (RBPs) and fold into distinct RNA structures to execute specific tasks in a synergistic and coordinated manner during the inactivation process. This modular organization of Xist is mostly conserved in humans, but recent data point towards differences regarding functional specialization of the tandem repeats between the two species. In this review, we summarize the recent progress on understanding the role of Xist repetitive blocks and their involvement in the molecular mechanisms underlying XCI. We also discuss these findings in the light of the similarities and differences between mouse and human Xist.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Cláudia Raposo
- Departamento de Bioengenharia e Instituto de Bioengenharia e Biociências, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory i4HB - Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Miguel Casanova
- Departamento de Bioengenharia e Instituto de Bioengenharia e Biociências, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory i4HB - Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Anne-Valerie Gendrel
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Simão Teixeira da Rocha
- Departamento de Bioengenharia e Instituto de Bioengenharia e Biociências, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory i4HB - Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
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Aliperti V, Skonieczna J, Cerase A. Long Non-Coding RNA (lncRNA) Roles in Cell Biology, Neurodevelopment and Neurological Disorders. Noncoding RNA 2021; 7:36. [PMID: 34204536 PMCID: PMC8293397 DOI: 10.3390/ncrna7020036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2021] [Revised: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Development is a complex process regulated both by genetic and epigenetic and environmental clues. Recently, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as key regulators of gene expression in several tissues including the brain. Altered expression of lncRNAs has been linked to several neurodegenerative, neurodevelopmental and mental disorders. The identification and characterization of lncRNAs that are deregulated or mutated in neurodevelopmental and mental health diseases are fundamental to understanding the complex transcriptional processes in brain function. Crucially, lncRNAs can be exploited as a novel target for treating neurological disorders. In our review, we first summarize the recent advances in our understanding of lncRNA functions in the context of cell biology and then discussing their association with selected neuronal development and neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincenza Aliperti
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Naples, Italy
| | - Justyna Skonieczna
- Centre for Genomics and Child Health, Blizard Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 2AT, UK;
| | - Andrea Cerase
- Centre for Genomics and Child Health, Blizard Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 2AT, UK;
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