The Expanding Toolkit of Translating Ribosome Affinity Purification

Organization of Purkinje cell development by neuronal MEGF11 in cerebellar granule cells

As cerebellar granule cells (GCs) coordinate the formation of regular cerebellar networks during postnatal development, molecules in GCs are expected to be involved. Here, we test the effects of the knockdown (KD) of multiple epidermal growth factor-like domains protein 11 (MEGF11), which is a homolog of proteins mediating astrocytic phagocytosis but is substantially increased at the later developmental stages of GCs on cerebellar development. MEGF11-KD in GCs of developing mice results in abnormal cerebellar structures, including extensively ectopic Purkinje cell (PC) somas, and in impaired motor functions. MEGF11-KD also causes abnormally asynchronous synaptic release from GC axons, parallel fibers, before the appearance of abnormal cerebellar structures. Interestingly, blockade of this abnormal synaptic release restores most of the cerebellar structures. Thus, apart from phagocytic functions of its related homologs in astrocytes, MEGF11 in GCs promotes proper PC development and cerebellar network formation by regulating immature synaptic transmission.

Sleep and memory: The impact of sleep deprivation on transcription, translational control, and protein synthesis in the brain

In countries around the world, sleep deprivation represents a widespread problem affecting school-age children, teenagers, and adults. Acute sleep deprivation and more chronic sleep restriction adversely affect individual health, impairing memory and cognitive performance as well as increasing the risk and progression of numerous diseases. In mammals, the hippocampus and hippocampus-dependent memory are vulnerable to the effects of acute sleep deprivation. Sleep deprivation induces changes in molecular signaling, gene expression and may cause changes in dendritic structure in neurons. Genome wide studies have shown that acute sleep deprivation alters gene transcription, although the pool of genes affected varies between brain regions. More recently, advances in research have drawn attention to differences in gene regulation between the level of the transcriptome compared with the pool of mRNA associated with ribosomes for protein translation following sleep deprivation. Thus, in addition to transcriptional changes, sleep deprivation also affects downstream processes to alter protein translation. In this review, we focus on the multiple levels through which acute sleep deprivation impacts gene regulation, highlighting potential post-transcriptional and translational processes that may be affected by sleep deprivation. Understanding the multiple levels of gene regulation impacted by sleep deprivation is essential for future development of therapeutics that may mitigate the effects of sleep loss.

Translating Ribosome Affinity Purification (TRAP) and Bioinformatic RNA-Seq Analysis in Post-metamorphic Xenopus laevis

Recent technical advances provide the ability to isolate and purify mRNAs from genetically distinct cell types so as to provide a broader view of gene expression as they relate to gene networks. These tools allow the genome of organisms undergoing different developmental or diseased states and environmental or behavioral conditions to be compared. Translating ribosome affinity purification (TRAP), a method using transgenic animals expressing a ribosomal affinity tag (ribotag) that targets ribosome-bound mRNAs, allows for the rapid isolation of genetically distinct populations of cells. In this chapter, we provide stepwise methods for carrying out an updated protocol for using the TRAP method in the South African clawed frog Xenopus laevis. A discussion of the experimental design and necessary controls and their rationale, along with a description of the bioinformatic steps involved in analyzing the Xenopus laevis translatome using TRAP and RNA-Seq, is also provided.

Transcription factor Foxp1 is essential for the induction of choroidal neovascularization

Background

The exudative form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is characterized by abnormal blood vessel growth, which is stimulated by vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) released from retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). The angiogenic behaviors of vascular endothelial cells in vitro depend on forkhead box protein P1 (Foxp1), a transcription repressor widely expressed in human and murine tissues during development. In this study, we aimed to determine whether loss of Foxp1 affects laser-induced choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in mouse.

Methods

Eye-selective deletion of Foxp1 was obtained by crossing Foxp1^flox/flox with Six3-Cre mice. Laser photocoagulation was delivered to six- to eight-week-old mice to induce CNV. The expression of Foxp1 and Cre was determined by immunofluorescence in cryostat sections of the eyes. Fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA), optical coherence tomography (OCT), and B4 isolectin staining were applied to analyze the leakage, bulge height, and area of CNV lesions, respectively. RPE-choroid tissues were isolated for the determination of VEGF and pigment epithelium derived factor (PEDF) by Western blotting.

Results

Foxp1 was expressed in retinal ganglion cells, RPE, and the choroidal endothelial cells. Laser photocoagulation increased the number of Foxp1⁺-endothelial cells and induced CNV. Six3-Cre reduced Foxp1 expression in RPE but not the endothelium, leading to a lower level of VEGF in the RPE-choroid. Foxp1 knockout inhibited pathological angiogenesis and vascular leakage of the laser-induced CNV lesions.

Conclusions

Foxp1 regulates the expression of VEGF in the RPE, and inhibition of Foxp1 could potentially be a novel strategy for the prevention and therapy of neovascularization related to AMD.

Translatomic response of retinal Müller glia to acute and chronic stress

Analysis of retina cell type-specific epigenetic and transcriptomic signatures is crucial to understanding the pathophysiology of retinal degenerations such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and delineating cell autonomous and cell-non-autonomous mechanisms. We have discovered that Aldh1l1 is specifically expressed in the major macroglia of the retina, Müller glia, and, unlike the brain, is not expressed in retinal astrocytes. This allows use of Aldh1l1 cre drivers and Nuclear Tagging and Translating Ribosome Affinity Purification (NuTRAP) constructs for temporally controlled labeling and paired analysis of Müller glia epigenomes and translatomes. As validated through a variety of approaches, the Aldh1l1cre/ERT2-NuTRAP model provides Müller glia specific translatomic and epigenomic profiles without the need to isolate whole cells. Application of this approach to models of acute injury (optic nerve crush) and chronic stress (aging) uncovered few common Müller glia-specific transcriptome changes in inflammatory pathways, and mostly differential signatures for each stimulus. The expression of members of the IL-6 and integrin-linked kinase signaling pathways was enhanced in Müller glia in response to optic nerve crush but not aging. Unique changes in neuroinflammation and fibrosis signaling pathways were observed in response to aging but not with optic nerve crush. The Aldh1l1cre/ERT2-NuTRAP model allows focused molecular analyses of a single, minority cell type within the retina, providing more substantial effect sizes than whole tissue analyses. The NuTRAP model, nucleic acid isolation, and validation approaches presented here can be applied to any retina cell type for which a cell type-specific cre is available.

Multiomic profiling of the acute stress response in the mouse hippocampus

The acute stress response mobilizes energy to meet situational demands and re-establish homeostasis. However, the underlying molecular cascades are unclear. Here, we use a brief swim exposure to trigger an acute stress response in mice, which transiently increases anxiety, without leading to lasting maladaptive changes. Using multiomic profiling, such as proteomics, phospho-proteomics, bulk mRNA-, single-nuclei mRNA-, small RNA-, and TRAP-sequencing, we characterize the acute stress-induced molecular events in the mouse hippocampus over time. Our results show the complexity and specificity of the response to acute stress, highlighting both the widespread changes in protein phosphorylation and gene transcription, and tightly regulated protein translation. The observed molecular events resolve efficiently within four hours after initiation of stress. We include an interactive app to explore the data, providing a molecular resource that can help us understand how acute stress impacts brain function in response to stress.

Acute stress can help individuals to respond to challenging events, although chronic stress leads to maladaptive changes. Here, the authors present a multi omic analysis profiling acute stress-induced changes in the mouse hippocampus, providing a resource for the scientific community.

In silico integrative analysis of multi-omics reveals regulatory layers for diurnal gene expression in mouse liver

Diurnal oscillation persists throughout the body and plays an essential role in maintaining physiological homeostasis. Disruption of diurnal rhythm contributes to many diseases including type 2 diabetes. The regulatory mechanism of the transcription-translation feedback loop (TTFL) of core clock genes is well-established, while a systematic study across all regulatory layers of gene expression, including gene transcription, RNA translation, and DNA binding protein (DBP) activities, is still lacking. We comprehensively bioinformatics analyzed the rhythmicity of gene transcription, mature RNA abundance, protein abundance and DBP activity using publicly available omic-datasets from mouse livers. We found that the core clock genes, Bmal1 and Rev-erbα, persistently retained rhythmicity in all stages, which supported the essential rhythmic function along with the TTFL. Interestingly, there were many layer-specific rhythmic genes playing layer-specific rhythmic functions. The systematic analysis of gene transcription rate, RNA translation efficiency, and post-translation modification of DBP were incorporated to determine the potential mechanisms for layer-specific rhythmic genes. We observed the gene with rhythmic expression in both mature RNA and protein layers were largely due to relatively consistent translation rate. In addition, rhythmic translation rate induced the rhythms of protein whose mature RNA levels were not rhythmic. Further analysis revealed a phosphorylation-mediated and an enhancer RNA-mediated cycling regulation between the corresponding layers. This study presents a global view of the oscillating genes in multiple layers via a systematical analysis and indicates the complexity of regulatory mechanisms across different layers for further functional study.

Loss of Tsc1 in cerebellar Purkinje cells induces transcriptional and translation changes in FMRP target transcripts

Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a genetic disorder that is associated with multiple neurological manifestations. Previously, we demonstrated that Tsc1 loss in cerebellar Purkinje cells (PCs) can cause altered social behavior in mice. Here, we performed detailed transcriptional and translational analyses of Tsc1-deficient PCs to understand the molecular alterations in these cells. We found that target transcripts of the Fragile X Mental Retardation Protein (FMRP) are reduced in mutant PCs with evidence of increased degradation. Surprisingly, we observed unchanged ribosomal binding for many of these genes using translating ribosome affinity purification. Finally, we found that multiple FMRP targets, including SHANK2, were reduced, suggesting that compensatory increases in ribosomal binding efficiency may be unable to overcome reduced transcript levels. These data further implicate dysfunction of FMRP and its targets in TSC and suggest that treatments aimed at restoring the function of these pathways may be beneficial.

Protocol to extract actively translated mRNAs from mouse hypothalamus by translating ribosome affinity purification

Here, we present an in-depth protocol for extracting ribosome-bound mRNAs in low-abundance cells of hypothalamic nuclei. mRNAs are extracted from the micropunched tissue using refined translating ribosome affinity purification. Isolated RNAs can be used for sequencing or transcript quantification. This protocol enables the identification of actively translated mRNAs in varying physiological states and can be modified for use in any neuronal subpopulation labeled with a ribo-tag. We use leptin receptor-expressing neurons as an example to illustrate the protocol. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Han et al. (2020).

Dopamine neuron-specific LRRK2 G2019S effects on gene expression revealed by translatome profiling

Leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) mutations are the most common genetic cause of late-onset Parkinson's disease. The pathogenic G2019S mutation enhances LRRK2 kinase activity and induces neurodegeneration in C. elegans, Drosophila and rodent models through unclear mechanisms. Gene expression profiling has the potential to provide detailed insight into the biological pathways modulated by LRRK2 kinase activity. Prior in vivo studies have surveyed the effects of LRRK2 G2019S on genome-wide mRNA expression in complex brain tissues with high cellular heterogeneity, limiting their power to detect more restricted gene expression changes occurring in a cell type-specific manner. Here, we used translating ribosome affinity purification (TRAP) coupled to RNA-seq to profile dopamine neuron-specific gene expression changes caused by LRRK2 G2019S in the Drosophila CNS. A number of genes were differentially expressed in the presence of mutant LRRK2 that represent a broad range of molecular functions including DNA repair (RfC3), mRNA metabolism and translation (Ddx1 and lin-28), calcium homeostasis (MCU), and other categories (Ugt37c1, disp, l(1)G0196, CG6602, CG1126 and CG11068). Further analysis on a subset of these genes revealed that LRRK2 G2019S did not alter their expression across the whole brain, consistent with dopamine neuron-specific effects uncovered by the TRAP approach that may yield insight into the neurodegenerative process. To our knowledge, this is the first study to profile the effects of LRRK2 G2019S specifically on DA neuron gene expression in vivo. Beyond providing a set of differentially expressed gene candidates relevant to LRRK2, we demonstrate the effective use of TRAP to perform high-resolution assessment of dopamine neuron gene expression for the study of PD.

A Picture Worth a Thousand Molecules-Integrative Technologies for Mapping Subcellular Molecular Organization and Plasticity in Developing Circuits

A key challenge in developmental neuroscience is identifying the local regulatory mechanisms that control neurite and synaptic refinement over large brain volumes. Innovative molecular techniques and high-resolution imaging tools are beginning to reshape our view of how local protein translation in subcellular compartments drives axonal, dendritic, and synaptic development and plasticity. Here we review recent progress in three areas of neurite and synaptic study in situ-compartment-specific transcriptomics/translatomics, targeted proteomics, and super-resolution imaging analysis of synaptic organization and development. We discuss synergies between sequencing and imaging techniques for the discovery and validation of local molecular signaling mechanisms regulating synaptic development, plasticity, and maintenance in circuits.

Shisa6 mediates cell-type specific regulation of depression in the nucleus accumbens

Depression is the leading cause of disability and produces enormous health and economic burdens. Current treatment approaches for depression are largely ineffective and leave more than 50% of patients symptomatic, mainly because of non-selective and broad action of antidepressants. Thus, there is an urgent need to design and develop novel therapeutics to treat depression. Given the heterogeneity and complexity of the brain, identification of molecular mechanisms within specific cell-types responsible for producing depression-like behaviors will advance development of therapies. In the reward circuitry, the nucleus accumbens (NAc) is a key brain region of depression pathophysiology, possibly based on differential activity of D1- or D2- medium spiny neurons (MSNs). Here we report a circuit- and cell-type specific molecular target for depression, Shisa6, recently defined as an AMPAR component, which is increased only in D1-MSNs in the NAc of susceptible mice. Using the Ribotag approach, we dissected the transcriptional profile of D1- and D2-MSNs by RNA sequencing following a mouse model of depression, chronic social defeat stress (CSDS). Bioinformatic analyses identified cell-type specific genes that may contribute to the pathogenesis of depression, including Shisa6. We found selective optogenetic activation of the ventral tegmental area (VTA) to NAc circuit increases Shisa6 expression in D1-MSNs. Shisa6 is specifically located in excitatory synapses of D1-MSNs and increases excitability of neurons, which promotes anxiety- and depression-like behaviors in mice. Cell-type and circuit-specific action of Shisa6, which directly modulates excitatory synapses that convey aversive information, identifies the protein as a potential rapid-antidepressant target for aberrant circuit function in depression.

Translational changes induced by acute sleep deprivation uncovered by TRAP-Seq

Sleep deprivation is a global health problem adversely affecting health as well as causing decrements in learning and performance. Sleep deprivation induces significant changes in gene transcription in many brain regions, with the hippocampus particularly susceptible to acute sleep deprivation. However, less is known about the impacts of sleep deprivation on post-transcriptional gene regulation. To identify the effects of sleep deprivation on the translatome, we took advantage of the RiboTag mouse line to express HA-labeled Rpl22 in CaMKIIα neurons to selectively isolate and sequence mRNA transcripts associated with ribosomes in excitatory neurons. We found 198 differentially expressed genes in the ribosome-associated mRNA subset after sleep deprivation. In comparison with previously published data on gene expression in the hippocampus after sleep deprivation, we found that the subset of genes affected by sleep deprivation was considerably different in the translatome compared with the transcriptome, with only 49 genes regulated similarly. Interestingly, we found 478 genes differentially regulated by sleep deprivation in the transcriptome that were not significantly regulated in the translatome of excitatory neurons. Conversely, there were 149 genes differentially regulated by sleep deprivation in the translatome but not in the whole transcriptome. Pathway analysis revealed differences in the biological functions of genes exclusively regulated in the transcriptome or translatome, with protein deacetylase activity and small GTPase binding regulated in the transcriptome and unfolded protein binding, kinase inhibitor activity, neurotransmitter receptors and circadian rhythms regulated in the translatome. These results indicate that sleep deprivation induces significant changes affecting the pool of actively translated mRNAs.

Analyzing Ribosome Remodeling in Health and Disease

Increasing evidence suggests that ribosomes actively regulate protein synthesis. However, much of this evidence is indirect, leaving this layer of gene regulation largely unexplored, in part due to methodological limitations. Indeed, evidence is reviewed demonstrating that commonly used methods, such as transcriptomics, are inadequate because the variability in mRNAs coding for ribosomal proteins (RP) does not necessarily correspond to RP variability. Thus protein remodeling of ribosomes should be investigated by methods that allow direct quantification of RPs, ideally of isolated ribosomes. Such methods are reviewed, focusing on mass spectrometry and emphasizing method-specific biases and approaches to control these biases. It is argued that using multiple complementary methods can help reduce the danger of interpreting reproducible systematic biases as evidence for ribosome remodeling.

SatB2-Expressing Neurons in the Parabrachial Nucleus Encode Sweet Taste

The gustatory system plays an important role in sensing appetitive and aversive tastes for evaluating food quality. In mice, taste signals are relayed by multiple brain regions, including the parabrachial nucleus (PBN) of the pons, before reaching the gustatory cortex via the gustatory thalamus. Recent studies show that taste information at the periphery is encoded in a labeled-line manner, such that each taste modality has its own receptors and neuronal pathway. In contrast, the molecular identity of gustatory neurons in the CNS remains unknown. Here, we show that SatB2-expressing neurons in the PBN play a pivotal role in sweet taste transduction. With cell ablation, in vivo calcium imaging, and optogenetics, we reveal that SatB2^PBN neurons encode positive valance and selectively transmit sweet taste signals to the gustatory thalamus.

Measuring mRNA translation in neuronal processes and somata by tRNA-FRET

In neurons, the specific spatial and temporal localization of protein synthesis is of great importance for function and survival. Here, we visualized tRNA and protein synthesis events in fixed and live mouse primary cortical culture using fluorescently-labeled tRNAs. We were able to characterize the distribution and transport of tRNAs in different neuronal sub-compartments and to study their association with the ribosome. We found that tRNA mobility in neural processes is lower than in somata and corresponds to patterns of slow transport mechanisms, and that larger tRNA puncta co-localize with translational machinery components and are likely the functional fraction. Furthermore, chemical induction of long-term potentiation (LTP) in culture revealed up-regulation of mRNA translation with a similar effect in dendrites and somata, which appeared to be GluR-dependent 6 h post-activation. Importantly, measurement of protein synthesis in neurons with high resolutions offers new insights into neuronal function in health and disease states.

The molecular and cellular mechanisms of depression: a focus on reward circuitry

Depression is a complex disorder that takes an enormous toll on individual health. As affected individuals display a wide variation in their clinical symptoms, the precise neural mechanisms underlying the development of depression remain elusive. Although it is impossible to phenocopy every symptom of human depression in rodents, the preclinical field has had great success in modeling some of the core affective and neurovegetative depressive symptoms, including social withdrawal, anhedonia, and weight loss. Adaptations in select cell populations may underlie these individual depressive symptoms and new tools have expanded our ability to monitor and manipulate specific cell types. This review outlines some of the most recent preclinical discoveries on the molecular and neurophysiological mechanisms in reward circuitry that underlie the expression of behavioral constructs relevant to depressive symptoms.

Immediate and deferred epigenomic signatures of in vivo neuronal activation in mouse hippocampus

Activity-driven transcription plays an important role in many brain processes, including those underlying memory and epilepsy. Here we combine genetic tagging of nuclei and ribosomes with RNA sequencing, chromatin immunoprecipitation with sequencing, assay for transposase-accessible chromatin using sequencing and Hi-C to investigate transcriptional and chromatin changes occurring in mouse hippocampal excitatory neurons at different time points after synchronous activation during seizure and sparse activation by novel context exploration. The transcriptional burst is associated with an increase in chromatin accessibility of activity-regulated genes and enhancers, de novo binding of activity-regulated transcription factors, augmented promoter-enhancer interactions and the formation of gene loops that bring together the transcription start site and transcription termination site of induced genes and may sustain the fast reloading of RNA polymerase complexes. Some chromatin occupancy changes and interactions, particularly those driven by AP1, remain long after neuronal activation and could underlie the changes in neuronal responsiveness and circuit connectivity observed in these neuroplasticity paradigms, perhaps thereby contributing to metaplasticity in the adult brain.

Cell-type specific polysome profiling from mammalian tissues

The regulation of gene expression occurs through complex relationships between transcription, processing, turnover, and translation, which are only beginning to be elucidated. We know that at least for certain messenger (m) RNAs, processing, modifications, and sequence elements can greatly influence their translational output through recognition by translation and turn-over machinery. Recently, we and others have combined high-throughput sequencing technologies with traditional biochemical methods of studying translation to extend our understanding of these relationships. Additionally, there is growing importance given to how these processes may be regulated across varied cell types as a means to achieve tissue-specific expression of proteins. Here, we provide an in-depth methodology for polysome profiling to dissect the composition of mRNAs and proteins that make up the translatome from both whole tissues and a specific cell type isolated from mammalian tissue. Also, we provide a detailed computational workflow for the analysis of the next-generation sequencing data generated from these experiments.

The Differences in Local Translatome across Distinct Neuron Types Is Mediated by Both Baseline Cellular Differences and Post-transcriptional Mechanisms

Local translation in neurites is a phenomenon that enhances the spatial segregation of proteins and their functions away from the cell body, yet it is unclear how local translation varies across neuronal cell types. Further, it is unclear whether differences in local translation across cell types simply reflect differences in transcription or whether there is also a cell type-specific post-transcriptional regulation of the location and translation of specific mRNAs. Most of the mRNAs discovered as being locally translated have been identified from hippocampal neurons because their laminar organization facilitates neurite-specific dissection and microscopy methods. Given the diversity of neurons across the brain, studies have not yet analyzed how locally translated mRNAs differ across cell types. Here, we used the SynapTRAP method to harvest two broad cell types in the mouse forebrain: GABAergic neurons and layer 5 projection neurons. While some transcripts overlap, the majority of the local translatome is not shared across these cell types. In addition to differences driven by baseline expression levels, some transcripts also exhibit cell type-specific post-transcriptional regulation. Finally, we provide evidence that GABAergic neurons specifically localize mRNAs for peptide neurotransmitters, including somatostatin and cortistatin, suggesting localized production of these key signaling molecules in the neurites of GABAergic neurons. Overall, this work suggests that differences in local translation in neurites across neuronal cell types are poised to contribute substantially to the heterogeneity in neuronal phenotypes.

Identification of Genes Enriched in GnRH Neurons by Translating Ribosome Affinity Purification and RNAseq in Mice

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons are a nexus of fertility regulation. We used translating ribosome affinity purification coupled with RNA sequencing to examine messenger RNAs of GnRH neurons in adult intact and gonadectomized (GDX) male and female mice. GnRH neuron ribosomes were tagged with green fluorescent protein (GFP) and GFP-labeled polysomes isolated by immunoprecipitation, producing one RNA fraction enhanced for GnRH neuron transcripts and one RNA fraction depleted. Complementary DNA libraries were created from each fraction and 50-base, paired-end sequencing done and differential expression (enhanced fraction/depleted fraction) determined with a threshold of >1.5- or <0.66-fold (false discovery rate P ≤ 0.05). A core of ∼840 genes was differentially expressed in GnRH neurons in all treatments, including enrichment for Gnrh1 (∼40-fold), and genes critical for GnRH neuron and/or gonadotrope development. In contrast, non-neuronal transcripts were not enriched or were de-enriched. Several epithelial markers were also enriched, consistent with the olfactory epithelial origins of GnRH neurons. Interestingly, many synaptic transmission pathways were de-enriched, in accordance with relatively low innervation of GnRH neurons. The most striking difference between intact and GDX mice of both sexes was a marked downregulation of genes associated with oxidative phosphorylation and upregulation of glucose transporters in GnRH neurons from GDX mice. This may suggest that GnRH neurons switch to an alternate fuel to increase adenosine triphosphate production in the absence of negative feedback when GnRH release is elevated. Knowledge of the GnRH neuron translatome and its regulation can guide functional studies and can be extended to disease states, such as polycystic ovary syndrome.