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Brain Cytoplasmic RNAs in Neurons: From Biosynthesis to Function. Biomolecules 2020; 10:biom10020313. [PMID: 32079202 PMCID: PMC7072442 DOI: 10.3390/biom10020313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2019] [Revised: 02/13/2020] [Accepted: 02/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Flexibility in signal transmission is essential for high-level brain function. This flexibility is achieved through strict spatial and temporal control of gene expression in neurons. Given the key regulatory roles of a variety of noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) in neurons, studying neuron-specific ncRNAs provides an important basis for understanding molecular principles of brain function. This approach will have wide use in understanding the pathogenesis of brain diseases and in the development of therapeutic agents in the future. Brain cytoplasmic RNAs (BC RNAs) are a leading paradigm for research on neuronal ncRNAs. Since the first confirmation of brain-specific expression of BC RNAs in 1982, their investigation has been an area of active research. In this review, we summarize key studies on the characteristics and functions of BC RNAs in neurons.
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Modulating Immune Response with Nucleic Acid Nanoparticles. Molecules 2019; 24:molecules24203740. [PMID: 31627288 PMCID: PMC6832290 DOI: 10.3390/molecules24203740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2019] [Accepted: 10/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Nano-objects made of nucleic acids are becoming promising materials in the biomedical field. This is, in part, due to DNA and RNA self-assembly properties that can be accurately computed to fabricate various complex nanoarchitectures of 2D and 3D shapes. The nanoparticles can be assembled from DNA, RNA, and chemically modified oligonucleotide mixtures which, in turn, influence their chemical and biophysical properties. Solid-phase synthesis allows large-scale production of individual oligonucleotide strands with batch-to-batch consistency and exceptional purity. All of these advantageous characteristics of nucleic-acid-based nanoparticles were known to be exceptionally useful as a nanoplatform for drug delivery purposes. Recently, several important discoveries have been achieved, demonstrating that nucleic acid nanoparticles (NANPs) can also be used to modulate the immune response of host cells. The purpose of this review is to briefly overview studies demonstrating architectural design principles of NANPs, as well as the ability of NANPs to control immune responses.
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Aparisi Rey A, Karaulanov E, Sharopov S, Arab K, Schäfer A, Gierl M, Guggenhuber S, Brandes C, Pennella L, Gruhn WH, Jelinek R, Maul C, Conrad A, Kilb W, Luhmann HJ, Niehrs C, Lutz B. Gadd45α modulates aversive learning through post-transcriptional regulation of memory-related mRNAs. EMBO Rep 2019; 20:embr.201846022. [PMID: 30948457 PMCID: PMC6549022 DOI: 10.15252/embr.201846022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2018] [Revised: 02/22/2019] [Accepted: 03/07/2019] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Learning is essential for survival and is controlled by complex molecular mechanisms including regulation of newly synthesized mRNAs that are required to modify synaptic functions. Despite the well‐known role of RNA‐binding proteins (RBPs) in mRNA functionality, their detailed regulation during memory consolidation is poorly understood. This study focuses on the brain function of the RBP Gadd45α (growth arrest and DNA damage‐inducible protein 45 alpha, encoded by the Gadd45a gene). Here, we find that hippocampal memory and long‐term potentiation are strongly impaired in Gadd45a‐deficient mice, a phenotype accompanied by reduced levels of memory‐related mRNAs. The majority of the Gadd45α‐regulated transcripts show unusually long 3′ untranslated regions (3′UTRs) that are destabilized in Gadd45a‐deficient mice via a transcription‐independent mechanism, leading to reduced levels of the corresponding proteins in synaptosomes. Moreover, Gadd45α can bind specifically to these memory‐related mRNAs. Our study reveals a new function for extended 3′UTRs in memory consolidation and identifies Gadd45α as a novel regulator of mRNA stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Aparisi Rey
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | | | - Salim Sharopov
- Institute of Physiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Stephan Guggenhuber
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Caroline Brandes
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Luigi Pennella
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | | | - Ruth Jelinek
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Christina Maul
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Andrea Conrad
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Werner Kilb
- Institute of Physiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Heiko J Luhmann
- Institute of Physiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Christof Niehrs
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Mainz, Germany .,Division of Molecular Embryology, DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Beat Lutz
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
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BC1 RNA motifs required for dendritic transport in vivo. Sci Rep 2016; 6:28300. [PMID: 27350115 PMCID: PMC4923876 DOI: 10.1038/srep28300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2016] [Accepted: 05/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
BC1 RNA is a small brain specific non-protein coding RNA. It is transported from the cell body into dendrites where it is involved in the fine-tuning translational control. Due to its compactness and established secondary structure, BC1 RNA is an ideal model for investigating the motifs necessary for dendritic localization. Previously, microinjection of in vitro transcribed BC1 RNA mutants into the soma of cultured primary neurons suggested the importance of RNA motifs for dendritic targeting. These ex vivo experiments identified a single bulged nucleotide (U22) and a putative K-turn (GA motif) structure required for dendritic localization or distal transport, respectively. We generated six transgenic mouse lines (three founders each) containing neuronally expressing BC1 RNA variants on a BC1 RNA knockout mouse background. In contrast to ex vivo data, we did not find indications of reduction or abolition of dendritic BC1 RNA localization in the mutants devoid of the GA motif or the bulged nucleotide. We confirmed the ex vivo data, which showed that the triloop terminal sequence had no consequence on dendritic transport. Interestingly, changing the triloop supporting structure completely abolished dendritic localization of BC1 RNA. We propose a novel RNA motif important for dendritic transport in vivo.
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Schudoma C. It's a loop world - single strands in RNA as structural and functional elements. Biomol Concepts 2015; 2:171-81. [PMID: 25962027 DOI: 10.1515/bmc.2011.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2011] [Accepted: 03/25/2011] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Unpaired regions in RNA molecules - loops - are centrally involved in defining the characteristic three-dimensional (3D) architecture of RNAs and are of high interest in RNA engineering and design. Loops adopt diverse, but specific conformations stabilised by complex tertiary structural interactions that provide structural flexibility to RNA structures that would otherwise not be possible if they only consisted of the rigid A-helical shapes usually formed by canonical base pairing. By participating in sequence-non-local contacts, they furthermore contribute to stabilising the overall fold of RNA molecules. Interactions between RNAs and other nucleic acids, proteins, or small molecules are also generally mediated by RNA loop structures. Therefore, the function of an RNA molecule is generally dependent on its loops. Examples include intermolecular interactions between RNAs as part of the microRNA processing pathways, ribozymatic activity, or riboswitch-ligand interactions. Bioinformatics approaches have been successfully applied to the identification of novel RNA structural motifs including loops, local and global RNA 3D structure prediction, and structural and conformational analysis of RNAs and have contributed to a better understanding of the sequence-structure-function relationships in RNA loops.
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Smith R, Rathod RJ, Rajkumar S, Kennedy D. Nervous translation, do you get the message? A review of mRNPs, mRNA-protein interactions and translational control within cells of the nervous system. Cell Mol Life Sci 2014; 71:3917-37. [PMID: 24952431 PMCID: PMC11113408 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-014-1660-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2014] [Revised: 05/22/2014] [Accepted: 05/30/2014] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
In neurons, translation of a message RNA can occur metres away from its transcriptional origin and in normal cells this is orchestrated with perfection. The life of an mRNA will see it pass through multiple steps of processing in the nucleus and the cytoplasm before it reaches its final destination. Processing of mRNA is determined by a myriad of RNA-binding proteins in multi-protein complexes called messenger ribonucleoproteins; however, incorrect processing and delivery of mRNA can cause several human neurological disorders. This review takes us through the life of mRNA from the nucleus to its point of translation in the cytoplasm. The review looks at the various cis and trans factors that act on the mRNA and discusses their roles in different cells of the nervous system and human disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ross Smith
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia,
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Varlamova EG, Goltyaev MV, Novoselov SV, Novoselov VI, Fesenko EE. Selenocysteine biosynthesis and mechanism of incorporation into growing proteins. Mol Biol 2013. [DOI: 10.1134/s0026893313040134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Grabow WW, Zhuang Z, Shea JE, Jaeger L. The GA-minor submotif as a case study of RNA modularity, prediction, and design. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-RNA 2013; 4:181-203. [PMID: 23378290 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Complex natural RNAs such as the ribosome, group I and group II introns, and RNase P exemplify the fact that three-dimensional (3D) RNA structures are highly modular and hierarchical in nature. Tertiary RNA folding typically takes advantage of a rather limited set of recurrent structural motifs that are responsible for controlling bends or stacks between adjacent helices. Herein, the GA minor and related structural motifs are presented as a case study to highlight several structural and folding principles, to gain further insight into the structural evolution of naturally occurring RNAs, as well as to assist the rational design of artificial RNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wade W Grabow
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
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Muslimov IA, Patel MV, Rose A, Tiedge H. Spatial code recognition in neuronal RNA targeting: role of RNA-hnRNP A2 interactions. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011; 194:441-57. [PMID: 21807882 PMCID: PMC3153643 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.201010027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Recognition of non-canonical purine•purine RNA motifs by hnRNP A2 mediates targeted delivery of neuronal RNAs to dendrites. In neurons, regulation of gene expression occurs in part through translational control at the synapse. A fundamental requirement for such local control is the targeted delivery of select neuronal mRNAs and regulatory RNAs to distal dendritic sites. The nature of spatial RNA destination codes, and the mechanism by which they are interpreted for dendritic delivery, remain poorly understood. We find here that in a key dendritic RNA transport pathway (exemplified by BC1 RNA, a dendritic regulatory RNA, and protein kinase M ζ [PKMζ] mRNA, a dendritic mRNA), noncanonical purine•purine nucleotide interactions are functional determinants of RNA targeting motifs. These motifs are specifically recognized by heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A2 (hnRNP A2), a trans-acting factor required for dendritic delivery. Binding to hnRNP A2 and ensuing dendritic delivery are effectively competed by RNAs with CGG triplet repeat expansions. CGG repeats, when expanded in the 5′ untranslated region of fragile X mental retardation 1 (FMR1) mRNA, cause fragile X–associated tremor/ataxia syndrome. The data suggest that cellular dysregulation observed in the presence of CGG repeat RNA may result from molecular competition in neuronal RNA transport pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilham A Muslimov
- The Robert F. Furchgott Center for Neural and Behavioral Science, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, State University of New York, Health Science Center at Brooklyn, USA
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Batey RT. Recognition of S-adenosylmethionine by riboswitches. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-RNA 2011; 2:299-311. [PMID: 21957011 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.63] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Riboswitches are regulatory elements commonly found in the 5' leader sequences of bacterial mRNAs that bind cellular metabolites to direct expression at either the transcriptional or translational level. The effectors of these RNAs are chemically diverse, including nucleobases and nucleosides, amino acids, cofactors, and second messenger molecules. Over the last few years, a number of structures have revealed the architectural means by which RNA creates binding pockets of high affinity and specificity for these compounds. For most effectors, there is a single class of associated riboswitches. However, eight individual classes of S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) and/or S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH) responsive riboswitches that control various aspects of sulfur metabolism have been validated, revealing a diverse set of solutions to the recognition of these ubiquitous metabolites. This review focuses upon the structures of RNAs that bind SAM and SAH and how they discriminate between these compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert T Batey
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA.
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11
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Abstract
RNA localisation is an important mode of delivering proteins to their site of function. Cis-acting signals within the RNAs, which can be thought of as zip-codes, determine the site of localisation. There are few examples of fully characterised RNA signals, but the signals are thought to be defined through a combination of primary, secondary, and tertiary structures. In this chapter, we describe a selection of computational methods for predicting RNA secondary structure, identifying localisation signals, and searching for similar localisation signals on a genome-wide scale. The chapter is aimed at the biologist rather than presenting the details of each of the individual methods.
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Abstract
The hnRNPs (heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins) are RNA-binding proteins with important roles in multiple aspects of nucleic acid metabolism, including the packaging of nascent transcripts, alternative splicing and translational regulation. Although they share some general characteristics, they vary greatly in terms of their domain composition and functional properties. Although the traditional grouping of the hnRNPs as a collection of proteins provided a practical framework, which has guided much of the research on them, this approach is becoming increasingly incompatible with current knowledge about their structural and functional divergence. Hence, we review the current literature to examine hnRNP diversity, and discuss how this impacts upon approaches to the classification of RNA-binding proteins in general.
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Abstract
The co-translational incorporation of selenocysteine (Sec) requires that UGA be recognized as a sense rather than a nonsense codon. This is accomplished by the concerted action of a Sec insertion sequence (SECIS) element, SECIS binding protein 2, and a ternary complex of the Sec specific elongation factor, Sec-tRNA(Sec), and GTP. The mechanism by which they alter the canonical protein synthesis reaction has been elusive. Here we present an overview of the mechanistic perspective on Sec incorporation, highlighting recent advances in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse Donovan
- Department of Microbiology, Molecular Genetics, and Immunology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, 675 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
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Abstract
Localized mRNAs found in specific regions of somatic cells, germ cells, and embryos function through their protein translation products in cell polarization and development. Recent studies on Xenopus and Drosophila eggs and various somatic cells showed that some of the localized noncoding and coding RNAs play a structural (translation independent) role in maintaining the integrity of microtubule and microfilament cytoskeleton and/or may function in protein folding or as a scaffold for the assembly of cytoplasmic complexes essential for egg or embryo development. In addition, structural noncoding RNAs within the cell nucleus have been shown to be involved in the organization of chromatin, nuclear bodies, and DNA replication. The fact that some of the RNAs may have previously unforeseen structural functions, will change our view on traditional functions of RNAs and will open new frontiers in the field of RNA studies and therapeutic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malgorzata Kloc
- The Methodist Hospital, The Methodist Hospital Research Institute, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.
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Curuksu J, Sponer J, Zacharias M. Elbow flexibility of the kt38 RNA kink-turn motif investigated by free-energy molecular dynamics simulations. Biophys J 2009; 97:2004-13. [PMID: 19804732 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2009.07.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2009] [Revised: 06/25/2009] [Accepted: 07/08/2009] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Kink-turns (K-turns) are common structural motifs that can introduce sharp kinks into double-stranded RNA, and have been proposed to mediate large-scale motions in the ribosome. K-turns consist of a bulge loop region flanked by trans sugar-Hoogsteen G:A pairs, and the sharp kink conformation is stabilized by A-minor interactions (adenine contacting a G:C basepair in the minor groove). Umbrella-sampling molecular dynamics simulations were used to disrupt an A-minor interaction in the ribosomal kt38 turn and to calculate the associated free-energy change. Coupling of umbrella sampling with replica exchanges between neighboring umbrella-sampling intervals could further improve the convergence of the free-energy calculations. The simulations revealed a coupled A-minor disruption and global opening of the K-turn motif, and allowed us to characterize several intermediate A-minor conformations. The calculated free-energy profile indicated a meta-stable, semi-open structure of slightly higher free energy ( approximately 1 kcal mol(-1)), separated by a small free-energy barrier ( approximately 1.5 kcal mol(-1)) from the closed (highly kinked) form. Both K-turn states are stabilized by distinct variants of the A-minor interaction. Further opening of the K-turn structure required significantly larger free-energy changes. The semi-open form had a reduced kink angle compatible with experimental data on K-turn solution structures, and opening was coupled to a continuous global unwinding of the K-turn motif. The range of free-energy changes associated with kt38 opening and unwinding are compatible with the idea that K-turns may facilitate biologically relevant motions during large-scale ribosome dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy Curuksu
- Computational Biology, School of Engineering and Science, Jacobs University, Bremen, Germany
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Raabe CA, Sanchez CP, Randau G, Robeck T, Skryabin BV, Chinni SV, Kube M, Reinhardt R, Ng GH, Manickam R, Kuryshev VY, Lanzer M, Brosius J, Tang TH, Rozhdestvensky TS. A global view of the nonprotein-coding transcriptome in Plasmodium falciparum. Nucleic Acids Res 2009; 38:608-17. [PMID: 19864253 PMCID: PMC2811010 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkp895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Nonprotein-coding RNAs (npcRNAs) represent an important class of regulatory molecules that act in many cellular pathways. Here, we describe the experimental identification and validation of the small npcRNA transcriptome of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. We identified 630 novel npcRNA candidates. Based on sequence and structural motifs, 43 of them belong to the C/D and H/ACA-box subclasses of small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) and small Cajal body-specific RNAs (scaRNAs). We further observed the exonization of a functional H/ACA snoRNA gene, which might contribute to the regulation of ribosomal protein L7a gene expression. Some of the small npcRNA candidates are from telomeric and subtelomeric repetitive regions, suggesting their potential involvement in maintaining telomeric integrity and subtelomeric gene silencing. We also detected 328 cis-encoded antisense npcRNAs (asRNAs) complementary to P. falciparum protein-coding genes of a wide range of biochemical pathways, including determinants of virulence and pathology. All cis-encoded asRNA genes tested exhibit lifecycle-specific expression profiles. For all but one of the respective sense–antisense pairs, we deduced concordant patterns of expression. Our findings have important implications for a better understanding of gene regulatory mechanisms in P. falciparum, revealing an extended and sophisticated npcRNA network that may control the expression of housekeeping genes and virulence factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carsten A Raabe
- Institute of Experimental Pathology, ZMBE, University of Muenster, Von-Esmarch-Str. 56, 48149 Muenster, Germany
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Mallardo M, Poltronieri P, D'Urso OF. Non-protein coding RNA biomarkers and differential expression in cancers: a review. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL & CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH : CR 2008; 27:19. [PMID: 18631387 PMCID: PMC2490676 DOI: 10.1186/1756-9966-27-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2008] [Accepted: 07/16/2008] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Background In these years a huge number of human transcripts has been found that do not code for proteins, named non-protein coding RNAs. In most cases, small (miRNAs, snoRNAs) and long RNAs (antisense RNA, dsRNA, and long RNA species) have many roles, functioning as regulators of other mRNAs, at transcriptional and post-transcriptional level, and controlling protein ubiquitination and degradation. Various species of npcRNAs have been found differentially expressed in different types of cancer. This review discusses the published data and new results on the expression of a subset of npcRNAs. Conclusion These results underscore the complexity of the RNA world and provide further evidence on the involvement of functional RNAs in cancer cell growth control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Massimo Mallardo
- University of Napoli Federico II, Department of Biochemistry and Medical Biotechnologies, Via S, Pansini 5, Napoli, Italy.
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Khanam T, Raabe CA, Kiefmann M, Handel S, Skryabin BV, Brosius J. Can ID repetitive elements serve as cis-acting dendritic targeting elements? An in vivo study. PLoS One 2007; 2:e961. [PMID: 17896001 PMCID: PMC1978531 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0000961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2007] [Accepted: 07/05/2007] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Dendritic localization of mRNA/RNA involves interaction of cis-elements and trans-factors. Small, non-protein coding dendritic BC1 RNA is thought to regulate translation in dendritic microdomains. Following microinjections into cultured cells, BC1 RNA fused to larger mRNAs appeared to impart transport competence to these chimeras, and its 5' ID region was proposed as the cis-acting dendritic targeting element. As these ID elements move around rodent genomes and, if transcribed, form a long RNA stem-loop, they might, thereby, lead to new localizations for targeted gene products. To test their targeting ability in vivo we created transgenic mice expressing various ID elements fused to the 3' UTR of reporter mRNA for Enhanced Green Fluorescent Protein. In vivo, neither ID elements nor the BC1 RNA coding region were capable of transporting EGFP RNA to dendrites, although the 3' UTR of alpha-CaMKII mRNA, an established cis-acting element did produce positive results. Other mRNAs containing naturally inserted ID elements are also not found in neuronal dendrites. We conclude that the 5' ID domain from BC1 RNA is not a sufficient dendritic targeting element for mRNAs in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tasneem Khanam
- Institute of Experimental Pathology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
- * To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: (TK); (JB)
| | - Carsten A. Raabe
- Institute of Experimental Pathology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Martin Kiefmann
- Institute of Experimental Pathology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Sergej Handel
- Institute of Experimental Pathology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Boris V. Skryabin
- Institute of Experimental Pathology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Jürgen Brosius
- Institute of Experimental Pathology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
- * To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: (TK); (JB)
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Mus E, Hof PR, Tiedge H. Dendritic BC200 RNA in aging and in Alzheimer's disease. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2007; 104:10679-84. [PMID: 17553964 PMCID: PMC1965572 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0701532104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 231] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2007] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Small untranslated BC1 and BC200 RNAs are translational regulators that are selectively targeted to somatodendritic domains of neurons. They are thought to operate as modulators of local protein synthesis in postsynaptic dendritic microdomains, in a capacity in which they would contribute to the maintenance of long-term synaptic plasticity. Because plasticity failure has been proposed to be a starting point for the neurodegenerative changes that are seen in Alzheimer's disease (AD), we asked whether somatodendritic levels of human BC200 RNA are deregulated in AD brains. We found that in normal aging, BC200 levels in cortical areas were reduced by >60% between the ages of 49 and 86. In contrast, BC200 RNA was significantly up-regulated in AD brains, in comparison with age-matched normal brains. This up-regulation in AD was specific to brain areas that are involved in the disease. Relative BC200 levels in those areas increased in parallel with the progression of AD, as reflected by Clinical Dementia Rating scores. In more advanced stages of the disease, BC200 RNA often assumed a clustered perikaryal localization, indicating that dendritic loss is accompanied by somatic overexpression. Mislocalization and overexpression of BC200 RNA may be reactive-compensatory to, or causative of, synaptodendritic deterioration in AD neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- El Mus
- *The Robert F. Furchgott Center for Neural and Behavioral Science, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, and
| | - Patrick R. Hof
- Department of Neuroscience, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10029
| | - Henri Tiedge
- *The Robert F. Furchgott Center for Neural and Behavioral Science, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, and
- Department of Neurology, State University of New York Health Science Center, Brooklyn, NY 11203; and
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20
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Abstract
BC1 RNA is a dendritic untranslated RNA that has been implicated in local translational control mechanisms in neurons. Prerequisite for a functional role of the RNA in synaptodendritic domains is its targeted delivery along the dendritic extent. We report here that the targeting-competent 5' BC1 domain carries two dendritic targeting codes. One code, specifying somatic export, is located in the medial-basal region of the 5' BC1 stem-loop structure. It is defined by an export-determinant stem-bulge motif. The second code, specifying long-range dendritic delivery, is located in the apical part of the 5' stem-loop domain. This element features a GA kink-turn (KT) motif that is indispensable for distal targeting. It specifically interacts with heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A2, a trans-acting targeting factor that has previously been implicated in the transport of MBP mRNA in oligodendrocytes and neurons. Our work suggests that a BC1 KT motif encodes distal targeting via the A2 pathway and that architectural RNA elements, such as KT motifs, may function as spatial codes in neural cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilham A Muslimov
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, The Robert F. Furchgott Center for Neural and Behavioral Science, State University of New York Health Science Center at Brooklyn, Brooklyn, NY 11203, USA
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