1
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Lee CY, Joshi M, Wang A, Myong S. 5'UTR G-quadruplex structure enhances translation in size dependent manner. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3963. [PMID: 38729943 PMCID: PMC11087576 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48247-8] [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: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Translation initiation in bacteria is frequently regulated by various structures in the 5' untranslated region (5'UTR). Previously, we demonstrated that G-quadruplex (G4) formation in non-template DNA enhances transcription. In this study, we aim to explore how G4 formation in mRNA (RG4) at 5'UTR impacts translation using a T7-based in vitro translation system and in E. coli. We show that RG4 strongly promotes translation efficiency in a size-dependent manner. Additionally, inserting a hairpin upstream of the RG4 further enhances translation efficiency, reaching up to a 12-fold increase. We find that the RG4-dependent effect is not due to increased ribosome affinity, ribosome binding site accessibility, or mRNA stability. We propose a physical barrier model in which bulky structures in 5'UTR biases ribosome movement toward the downstream start codon, thereby increasing the translation output. This study provides biophysical insights into the regulatory role of 5'UTR structures in in vitro and bacterial translation, highlighting their potential applications in tuning gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Ying Lee
- Department of Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
| | - Meera Joshi
- Department of Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
| | - Ashley Wang
- Department of Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
| | - Sua Myong
- Department of Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA.
- Physics Frontier Center (Center for Physics of Living Cells), University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.
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2
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Greiss F, Lardon N, Schütz L, Barak Y, Daube SS, Weinhold E, Noireaux V, Bar-Ziv R. A genetic circuit on a single DNA molecule as an autonomous dissipative nanodevice. Nat Commun 2024; 15:883. [PMID: 38287055 PMCID: PMC10825189 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45186-2] [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: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Realizing genetic circuits on single DNA molecules as self-encoded dissipative nanodevices is a major step toward miniaturization of autonomous biological systems. A circuit operating on a single DNA implies that genetically encoded proteins localize during coupled transcription-translation to DNA, but a single-molecule measurement demonstrating this has remained a challenge. Here, we use a genetically encoded fluorescent reporter system with improved temporal resolution and observe the synthesis of individual proteins tethered to a DNA molecule by transient complexes of RNA polymerase, messenger RNA, and ribosome. Against expectations in dilute cell-free conditions where equilibrium considerations favor dispersion, these nascent proteins linger long enough to regulate cascaded reactions on the same DNA. We rationally design a pulsatile genetic circuit by encoding an activator and repressor in feedback on the same DNA molecule. Driven by the local synthesis of only several proteins per hour and gene, the circuit dynamics exhibit enhanced variability between individual DNA molecules, and fluctuations with a broad power spectrum. Our results demonstrate that co-expressional localization, as a nonequilibrium process, facilitates single-DNA genetic circuits as dissipative nanodevices, with implications for nanobiotechnology applications and artificial cell design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ferdinand Greiss
- Department of Chemical and Biological Physics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 7610001, Israel.
| | - Nicolas Lardon
- Department of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Leonie Schütz
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, 52056, Aachen, Germany
| | - Yoav Barak
- Department of Chemical Research Support, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 7610001, Israel
| | - Shirley S Daube
- Department of Chemical and Biological Physics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 7610001, Israel
| | - Elmar Weinhold
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, 52056, Aachen, Germany
| | - Vincent Noireaux
- School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Roy Bar-Ziv
- Department of Chemical and Biological Physics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 7610001, Israel.
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3
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Myong S, Lee CY, Joshi M, Wang A. 5'UTR G-quadruplex structure enhances translation in size dependent manner. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-3352233. [PMID: 37790436 PMCID: PMC10543253 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3352233/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
Translation initiation in bacteria is frequently regulated by various structures in the 5' untranslated region (5'UTR). Previously, we demonstrated that G-quadruplex (G4) formation in non-template DNA enhances transcription. In this study, we aimed to explore how G4 formation in mRNA (RG4) at 5'UTR impacts translation using a T7-based in vitro translation system and in E. coli. We showed that RG4 strongly promotes translation efficiency in a size-dependent manner. Additionally, inserting a hairpin upstream of the RG4 further enhances translation efficiency, reaching up to a 12-fold increase. We found that the RG4-dependent effect is not due to increased ribosome affinity, ribosome binding site accessibility, or mRNA stability. We proposed a physical barrier model in which bulky structures in 5'UTR prevent ribosome dislodging and thereby increase the translation output. This study provides biophysical insights into the regulatory role of 5'UTR structures in bacterial translation, highlighting their potential applications in tuning gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sua Myong
- Boston Children's Hospital/Harvard Medical School
| | | | - Meera Joshi
- Boston Children's Hospital/Harvard Medical School
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4
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Zhang F, Wang Y, Wang X, Dong H, Chen M, Du N, Wang H, Hu W, Zhang K, Gu L. RT-IVT method allows multiplex real-time quantification of in vitro transcriptional mRNA production. Commun Biol 2023; 6:453. [PMID: 37095292 PMCID: PMC10124930 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04830-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023] Open
Abstract
For the past 30 years, in vitro transcription (IVT) technology has been extensively used for RNA production or for basic transcriptional mechanism research. However, methods for mRNA quantification still need to be improved. In this study, we designed a RT-IVT method using binary fluorescence quencher (BFQ) probes and the PBCV-1 DNA ligase to quantify mRNA production in real-time by fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) and RNA-splinted DNA ligation. Compared with existing methods, the RT-IVT method is inexpensive and non-radioactive, and can detect mRNA production in unpurified systems in real-time and shows high sensitivity and selectivity. The activity of T7 RNA polymerase and Escherichia coli RNA polymerase holoenzyme was then characterized with this method. We then multiplexed the real-time mRNA quantification for three T7 promoters on a RT-PCR thermocycler by using BFQ probes with different colored fluorophores that were specific for each target. Ultimately, we created an inexpensive multiplexed method to quantify mRNA production in real-time, and future research could use these methods to measure the affinity of transcriptional repressors to their target DNA sequence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengyu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, 72 Binhai Road, 266237, Qingdao, China
| | - Yipeng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, 72 Binhai Road, 266237, Qingdao, China
| | - Xiaomeng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, 72 Binhai Road, 266237, Qingdao, China
| | - Hongjie Dong
- Shandong Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 11 Taibaizhong Road, 272033, Jining, China
| | - Min Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, 72 Binhai Road, 266237, Qingdao, China
| | - Ning Du
- Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, 72 Binhai Road, 266237, Qingdao, China
| | - Hongwei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, 72 Binhai Road, 266237, Qingdao, China
| | - Wei Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, 72 Binhai Road, 266237, Qingdao, China
| | - Kundi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, 72 Binhai Road, 266237, Qingdao, China.
| | - Lichuan Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, 72 Binhai Road, 266237, Qingdao, China.
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5
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Kumar R, Kolloli A, Subbian S, Kaushal D, Shi L, Tyagi S. Imaging Architecture of Granulomas Induced by Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infections with Single-Molecule FISH. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.02.526702. [PMID: 36778404 PMCID: PMC9915589 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.02.526702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Granulomas are an important hallmark of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection. They are organized and dynamic structures created by an assembly of immune cells around the sites of infection in the lungs to locally restrict the bacterial growth and the host's inflammatory responses. The cellular architecture of granulomas is traditionally studied by immunofluorescence labeling of phenotypic surface markers. However, very few antibodies are available for model animals used in tuberculosis research, such as non-human primates and rabbits; secreted immunological markers such as cytokines cannot be imaged in situ using antibodies; and traditional phenotypic surface markers do not provide sufficient resolution for the detection of many subtypes and differentiation states of immune cells. Using single-molecule fluorescent in situ hybridization (smFISH) and its derivatives, amplified smFISH (ampFISH) and iterative smFISH, we developed a platform for imaging mRNAs encoding immune markers in rabbit and macaque tuberculosis granulomas. Multiplexed imaging for several mRNA and protein markers was followed by quantitative measurement of expression of these markers in single cells in situ. A quantitative analysis of combinatorial expressions of these markers allowed us to classify the cells into several subtypes and chart their distributions within granulomas. For one mRNA target, HIF-1α, we were able to image its mRNA and protein in the same cells, demonstrating the specificity of probes. This method paves the way for defining granular differentiation states and cell subtypes from transcriptomic data, identifying key mRNA markers for these cell subtypes, and then locating the cells in the spatial context of granulomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ranjeet Kumar
- Public Health Research Institute, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey
| | - Afsal Kolloli
- Public Health Research Institute, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey
| | - Selvakumar Subbian
- Public Health Research Institute, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey
- Department of Medicine, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey
| | - Deepak Kaushal
- Southwest National Primate Research Center, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, Texas
| | - Lanbo Shi
- Public Health Research Institute, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey
- Department of Medicine, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey
| | - Sanjay Tyagi
- Public Health Research Institute, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey
- Department of Medicine, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey
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6
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High-plex imaging of RNA and proteins at subcellular resolution in fixed tissue by spatial molecular imaging. Nat Biotechnol 2022; 40:1794-1806. [PMID: 36203011 DOI: 10.1038/s41587-022-01483-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 146] [Impact Index Per Article: 73.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Resolving the spatial distribution of RNA and protein in tissues at subcellular resolution is a challenge in the field of spatial biology. We describe spatial molecular imaging, a system that measures RNAs and proteins in intact biological samples at subcellular resolution by performing multiple cycles of nucleic acid hybridization of fluorescent molecular barcodes. We demonstrate that spatial molecular imaging has high sensitivity (one or two copies per cell) and very low error rate (0.0092 false calls per cell) and background (~0.04 counts per cell). The imaging system generates three-dimensional, super-resolution localization of analytes at ~2 million cells per sample. Cell segmentation is morphology based using antibodies, compatible with formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded samples. We measured multiomic data (980 RNAs and 108 proteins) at subcellular resolution in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues (nonsmall cell lung and breast cancer) and identified >18 distinct cell types, ten unique tumor microenvironments and 100 pairwise ligand-receptor interactions. Data on >800,000 single cells and ~260 million transcripts can be accessed at http://nanostring.com/CosMx-dataset .
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7
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ClampFISH 2.0 enables rapid, scalable amplified RNA detection in situ. Nat Methods 2022; 19:1403-1410. [PMID: 36280724 PMCID: PMC9838136 DOI: 10.1038/s41592-022-01653-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
RNA labeling in situ has enormous potential to visualize transcripts and quantify their levels in single cells, but it remains challenging to produce high levels of signal while also enabling multiplexed detection of multiple RNA species simultaneously. Here, we describe clampFISH 2.0, a method that uses an inverted padlock design to efficiently detect many RNA species and exponentially amplify their signals at once, while also reducing the time and cost compared with the prior clampFISH method. We leverage the increased throughput afforded by multiplexed signal amplification and sequential detection to detect 10 different RNA species in more than 1 million cells. We also show that clampFISH 2.0 works in tissue sections. We expect that the advantages offered by clampFISH 2.0 will enable many applications in spatial transcriptomics.
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8
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Zhang Y, Zhao C, Bi H, Zhang X, Xue B, Li C, Wang S, Yang X, Qiu Z, Wang J, Shen Z. A cell-free paper-based biosensor dependent on allosteric transcription factors (aTFs) for on-site detection of harmful metals Hg 2+ and Pb 2+ in water. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2022; 438:129499. [PMID: 35816794 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.129499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Revised: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Water quality monitoring requires a reliable and practical on-site detection method for heavy metal ions. Combining an in vitro transcription (IVT) technology with allosteric transcription factors (aTFs), we developed a cell-free paper-based biosensor for on-site detection of Hg2+ and Pb2+ in water. Suitable aTFs screened using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) were employed for building biosensors. ATFs could disassociate from DNA due to their specific affinity to metal ions, and fluorescent RNA was transcribed as a signal. The developed biosensor could quantitatively detect Hg2+ in a linear dynamic range of 0.5-500 nM and Pb2+ in a 1-250 nM range in a 1 h period. The LOD of the biosensor was 0.5 nM for Hg2+ and 0.1 nM for Pb2+. The recoveries ranged from 91.09% to 123.24% for actual water samples detection. Furthermore, freeze-drying was used to create a paper-based biosensor that could detect Hg2+ and Pb2+ simultaneously on-site. This research presents a useful technique for various heavy metal ion detections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongkang Zhang
- Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin 300050, China
| | - Chen Zhao
- Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin 300050, China; Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment & Food Safety, Tianjin 300050, China
| | - Huaixiu Bi
- Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin 300050, China; College of Food Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Xi Zhang
- Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin 300050, China
| | - Bin Xue
- Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin 300050, China
| | - Chenyu Li
- Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin 300050, China
| | - Shang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment & Food Safety, Tianjin 300050, China
| | - Xiaobo Yang
- Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment & Food Safety, Tianjin 300050, China
| | - Zhigang Qiu
- Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment & Food Safety, Tianjin 300050, China
| | - Jingfeng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment & Food Safety, Tianjin 300050, China.
| | - Zhiqiang Shen
- Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin 300050, China.
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9
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Baek I, Le SN, Jeon J, Chun Y, Reed C, Buratowski S. A set of Saccharomyces cerevisiae integration vectors for fluorescent dye labeling of proteins. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2022; 12:6659097. [PMID: 35944214 PMCID: PMC9526040 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkac201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Protein fusions are frequently used for fluorescence imaging of individual molecules, both in vivo and in vitro. The SNAP, CLIP, HALO (aka HaloTag7), and DHFR protein tags can be linked to small molecule dyes that provide brightness and photo-stability superior to fluorescent proteins. To facilitate fluorescent dye tagging of proteins in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we constructed a modular set of vectors with various combinations of labeling protein tags and selectable markers. These vectors can be used in combination to create strains where multiple proteins labeled with different colored dyes can be simultaneously observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inwha Baek
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Sarah N Le
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jongcheol Jeon
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Yujin Chun
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Charlotte Reed
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Stephen Buratowski
- Corresponding author: Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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10
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Chauhan N, Saxena K, Jain U. Single molecule detection; from microscopy to sensors. Int J Biol Macromol 2022; 209:1389-1401. [PMID: 35413320 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.04.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Single molecule detection is necessary to find out physical, chemical properties and their mechanism involved in the normal functioning of body cells. In this way, they can provide a new direction to the healthcare system. Various techniques have been developed and employed for their successful detection. Herein, we have emphasized various traditional methods as well as biosensing technology which offer single molecule sensitivity. The various methods including plasmonic resonance, nanopores, whispering gallery mode, Simoa assay and recognition tunneling are discussed in the initial part which has been followed by a discussion about biosensor-based detection. Plasmonic, SERS, CRISPR/Cas, and other types of biosensors are focused in this review and found to be highly sensitive for single molecule detection. This review provides an overview of progression in different techniques employed for single molecule detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nidhi Chauhan
- Amity Institute of Nanotechnology (AINT), Amity University Uttar Pradesh (AUUP), Noida 201313, U.P., India
| | - Kirti Saxena
- Amity Institute of Nanotechnology (AINT), Amity University Uttar Pradesh (AUUP), Noida 201313, U.P., India
| | - Utkarsh Jain
- Amity Institute of Nanotechnology (AINT), Amity University Uttar Pradesh (AUUP), Noida 201313, U.P., India.
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11
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Hepp C, Shiaelis N, Robb NC, Vaughan A, Matthews PC, Stoesser N, Crook D, Kapanidis AN. Viral detection and identification in 20 min by rapid single-particle fluorescence in-situ hybridization of viral RNA. Sci Rep 2021; 11:19579. [PMID: 34599242 PMCID: PMC8486776 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-98972-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The increasing risk from viral outbreaks such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic exacerbates the need for rapid, affordable and sensitive methods for virus detection, identification and quantification; however, existing methods for detecting virus particles in biological samples usually depend on multistep protocols that take considerable time to yield a result. Here, we introduce a rapid fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) protocol capable of detecting influenza virus, avian infectious bronchitis virus and SARS-CoV-2 specifically and quantitatively in approximately 20 min, in virus cultures, combined nasal and throat swabs with added virus and likely patient samples without previous purification. This fast and facile workflow can be adapted both as a lab technique and a future diagnostic tool in enveloped viruses with an accessible genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christof Hepp
- Biological Physics Research Group, Clarendon Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3PU, UK.
| | - Nicolas Shiaelis
- Biological Physics Research Group, Clarendon Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3PU, UK
| | - Nicole C Robb
- Biological Physics Research Group, Clarendon Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3PU, UK
- Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Alison Vaughan
- Nuffield Department for Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
| | | | - Nicole Stoesser
- Nuffield Department for Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
- NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare Associated Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance at the University of Oxford in Partnership With Public Health England, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Derrick Crook
- Nuffield Department for Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
- NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare Associated Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance at the University of Oxford in Partnership With Public Health England, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Achillefs N Kapanidis
- Biological Physics Research Group, Clarendon Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3PU, UK.
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12
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Lee CY, Myong S. Probing steps in DNA transcription using single-molecule methods. J Biol Chem 2021; 297:101086. [PMID: 34403697 PMCID: PMC8441165 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.101086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2021] [Revised: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Transcriptional regulation is one of the key steps in determining gene expression. Diverse single-molecule techniques have been applied to characterize the stepwise progression of transcription, yielding complementary results. These techniques include, but are not limited to, fluorescence-based microscopy with single or multiple colors, force measuring and manipulating microscopy using magnetic field or light, and atomic force microscopy. Here, we summarize and evaluate these current methodologies in studying and resolving individual steps in the transcription reaction, which encompasses RNA polymerase binding, initiation, elongation, mRNA production, and termination. We also describe the advantages and disadvantages of each method for studying transcription.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Ying Lee
- Department of Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Sua Myong
- Department of Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Physics Frontier Center (Center for Physics of Living Cells), University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois, USA.
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13
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Hoboth P, Šebesta O, Hozák P. How Single-Molecule Localization Microscopy Expanded Our Mechanistic Understanding of RNA Polymerase II Transcription. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:6694. [PMID: 34206594 PMCID: PMC8269275 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22136694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Revised: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Classical models of gene expression were built using genetics and biochemistry. Although these approaches are powerful, they have very limited consideration of the spatial and temporal organization of gene expression. Although the spatial organization and dynamics of RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) transcription machinery have fundamental functional consequences for gene expression, its detailed studies have been abrogated by the limits of classical light microscopy for a long time. The advent of super-resolution microscopy (SRM) techniques allowed for the visualization of the RNAPII transcription machinery with nanometer resolution and millisecond precision. In this review, we summarize the recent methodological advances in SRM, focus on its application for studies of the nanoscale organization in space and time of RNAPII transcription, and discuss its consequences for the mechanistic understanding of gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Hoboth
- Department of Biology of the Cell Nucleus, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Vídeňská 1083, 142 20 Prague, Czech Republic;
- Faculty of Science, Charles University, Albertov 6, 128 00 Prague, Czech Republic;
| | - Ondřej Šebesta
- Faculty of Science, Charles University, Albertov 6, 128 00 Prague, Czech Republic;
| | - Pavel Hozák
- Department of Biology of the Cell Nucleus, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Vídeňská 1083, 142 20 Prague, Czech Republic;
- Microscopy Centre, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Vídeňská 1083, 142 20 Prague, Czech Republic
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14
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Takei Y, Yun J, Zheng S, Ollikainen N, Pierson N, White J, Shah S, Thomassie J, Suo S, Eng CHL, Guttman M, Yuan GC, Cai L. Integrated spatial genomics reveals global architecture of single nuclei. Nature 2021; 590:344-350. [PMID: 33505024 PMCID: PMC7878433 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-03126-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 188] [Impact Index Per Article: 62.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Identifying the relationships between chromosome structures, nuclear bodies, chromatin states, and gene expression is an overarching goal of nuclear organization studies1–4. Because individual cells appear to be highly variable at all these levels5, it is essential to map different modalities in the same cells. Here, we report the imaging of 3,660 chromosomal loci in single mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) by DNA seqFISH+, along with 17 chromatin marks and subnuclear structures by sequential immunofluorescence (IF) and the expression profile of 70 RNAs. We found many loci were invariantly associated with IF marks in single mESCs. These loci form “fixed points” in the nuclear organizations in single cells and often appear on the surfaces of nuclear bodies and zones defined by combinatorial chromatin marks. Furthermore, highly expressed genes appear to be pre-positioned to active nuclear zones, independent of bursting dynamics in single cells. Our analysis also uncovered several distinct mESCs subpopulations with characteristic combinatorial chromatin states. Using clonal analysis, we show that the global levels of some chromatin marks, such as H3K27me3 and macroH2A1 (mH2A1), are heritable over at least 3–4 generations, whereas other marks fluctuate on a faster time scale. This seqFISH+ based spatial multimodal approach can be used to explore nuclear organization and cell states in diverse biological systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yodai Takei
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Jina Yun
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Shiwei Zheng
- Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard T.H.Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences and Charles Bronfman Institute for Personalized Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Noah Ollikainen
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Nico Pierson
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Jonathan White
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Sheel Shah
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Julian Thomassie
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Shengbao Suo
- Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard T.H.Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences and Charles Bronfman Institute for Personalized Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Chee-Huat Linus Eng
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Mitchell Guttman
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Guo-Cheng Yuan
- Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard T.H.Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences and Charles Bronfman Institute for Personalized Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Long Cai
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.
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15
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Dynamics of RNA polymerase II and elongation factor Spt4/5 recruitment during activator-dependent transcription. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:32348-32357. [PMID: 33293419 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2011224117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
In eukaryotes, RNA polymerase II (RNApII) transcribes messenger RNA from template DNA. Decades of experiments have identified the proteins needed for transcription activation, initiation complex assembly, and productive elongation. However, the dynamics of recruitment of these proteins to transcription complexes, and of the transitions between these steps, are poorly understood. We used multiwavelength single-molecule fluorescence microscopy to directly image and quantitate these dynamics in a budding yeast nuclear extract that reconstitutes activator-dependent transcription in vitro. A strong activator (Gal4-VP16) greatly stimulated reversible binding of individual RNApII molecules to template DNA. Binding of labeled elongation factor Spt4/5 to DNA typically followed RNApII binding, was NTP dependent, and was correlated with association of mRNA binding protein Hek2, demonstrating specificity of Spt4/5 binding to elongation complexes. Quantitative kinetic modeling shows that only a fraction of RNApII binding events are productive and implies a rate-limiting step, probably associated with recruitment of general transcription factors, needed to assemble a transcription-competent preinitiation complex at the promoter. Spt4/5 association with transcription complexes was slowly reversible, with DNA-bound RNApII molecules sometimes binding and releasing Spt4/5 multiple times. The average Spt4/5 residence time was of similar magnitude to the time required to transcribe an average length yeast gene. These dynamics suggest that a single Spt4/5 molecule remains associated during a typical transcription event, yet can dissociate from RNApII to allow disassembly of abnormally long-lived (i.e., stalled) elongation complexes.
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16
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Abstract
To date, single molecule studies have been reliant on tethering or confinement to achieve long duration and high temporal resolution measurements. Here, we present a 3D single-molecule active real-time tracking method (3D-SMART) which is capable of locking on to single fluorophores in solution for minutes at a time with photon limited temporal resolution. As a demonstration, 3D-SMART is applied to actively track single Atto 647 N fluorophores in 90% glycerol solution with an average duration of ~16 s at count rates of ~10 kHz. Active feedback tracking is further applied to single proteins and nucleic acids, directly measuring the diffusion of various lengths (99 to 1385 bp) of single DNA molecules at rates up to 10 µm2/s. In addition, 3D-SMART is able to quantify the occupancy of single Spinach2 RNA aptamers and capture active transcription on single freely diffusing DNA. 3D-SMART represents a critical step towards the untethering of single molecule spectroscopy. Single molecule observation has been limited to tethered molecules to ensure that the target remains in the field of view (FOV). Here, the authors develop a real-time tracking method that locks onto rapidly diffusing targets and tracks them in a 3D volume, enabling single molecules to remain in the FOV for minutes at a time.
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17
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R-loop induced G-quadruplex in non-template promotes transcription by successive R-loop formation. Nat Commun 2020; 11:3392. [PMID: 32636376 PMCID: PMC7341879 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-17176-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2019] [Accepted: 06/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
G-quadruplex (G4) is a noncanonical secondary structure of DNA or RNA which can enhance or repress gene expression, yet the underlying molecular mechanism remains uncertain. Here we show that when positioned downstream of transcription start site, the orientation of potential G4 forming sequence (PQS), but not the sequence alters transcriptional output. Ensemble in vitro transcription assays indicate that PQS in the non-template increases mRNA production rate and yield. Using sequential single molecule detection stages, we demonstrate that while binding and initiation of T7 RNA polymerase is unchanged, the efficiency of elongation and the final mRNA output is higher when PQS is in the non-template. Strikingly, the enhanced elongation arises from the transcription-induced R-loop formation, which in turn generates G4 structure in the non-template. The G4 stabilized R-loop leads to increased transcription by a mechanism involving successive rounds of R-loop formation. G-quadruplex (G4) forming sequences are highly enriched in the human genome and function as important regulators of diverse range of biological processes. Here the authors show that while G4 structures on template strand block transcription, folding on the non-template strand enhances transcription by means of successive R-loop formation.
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18
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Jung JK, Alam KK, Verosloff MS, Capdevila DA, Desmau M, Clauer PR, Lee JW, Nguyen PQ, Pastén PA, Matiasek SJ, Gaillard JF, Giedroc DP, Collins JJ, Lucks JB. Cell-free biosensors for rapid detection of water contaminants. Nat Biotechnol 2020; 38:1451-1459. [PMID: 32632301 PMCID: PMC7718425 DOI: 10.1038/s41587-020-0571-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 163] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2019] [Accepted: 05/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Lack of access to safe drinking water is a global problem, and methods to reliably and easily detect contaminants could be transformative. We report the development of a cell-free in vitro transcription system that uses RNA Output Sensors Activated by Ligand Induction (ROSALIND) to detect contaminants in water. A combination of highly processive RNA polymerases, allosteric protein transcription factors and synthetic DNA transcription templates regulates the synthesis of a fluorescence-activating RNA aptamer. The presence of a target contaminant induces the transcription of the aptamer, and a fluorescent signal is produced. We apply ROSALIND to detect a range of water contaminants, including antibiotics, small molecules and metals. We also show that adding RNA circuitry can invert responses, reduce crosstalk and improve sensitivity without protein engineering. The ROSALIND system can be freeze-dried for easy storage and distribution, and we apply it in the field to test municipal water supplies, demonstrating its potential use for monitoring water quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaeyoung K Jung
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.,Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.,Center for Water Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Khalid K Alam
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.,Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.,Center for Water Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Matthew S Verosloff
- Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.,Center for Water Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.,Interdisciplinary Biological Sciences Graduate Program, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | | | - Morgane Desmau
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Phillip R Clauer
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jeong Wook Lee
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, Republic of Korea
| | - Peter Q Nguyen
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Pablo A Pastén
- Departmento de Ingeniería Hidráulica y Ambiental, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Centro de Desarrollo Urbano Sustentable, Santiago, Chile
| | - Sandrine J Matiasek
- Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, California State University, Chico, Chico, CA, USA.,Center for Water and the Environment, California State University, Chico, Chico, CA, USA
| | - Jean-François Gaillard
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - David P Giedroc
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA.,Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - James J Collins
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.,Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA.,Institute for Medical Engineering & Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.,Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.,Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Julius B Lucks
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA. .,Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA. .,Center for Water Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA. .,Interdisciplinary Biological Sciences Graduate Program, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.
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19
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Abstract
Transcription in several organisms from certain bacteria to humans has been observed to be stochastic in nature: toggling between active and inactive states. Periods of active nascent RNA synthesis known as bursts represent individual gene activation events in which multiple polymerases are initiated. Therefore, bursting is the single locus illustration of both gene activation and repression. Although transcriptional bursting was originally observed decades ago, only recently have technological advances enabled the field to begin elucidating gene regulation at the single-locus level. In this review, we focus on how biochemical, genomic, and single-cell data describe the regulatory steps of transcriptional bursts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Rodriguez
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, North Carolina 27709, USA
| | - Daniel R. Larson
- Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA
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20
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Lyons DE, McMahon S, Ott M. A combinatorial view of old and new RNA polymerase II modifications. Transcription 2020; 11:66-82. [PMID: 32401151 DOI: 10.1080/21541264.2020.1762468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The production of mRNA is a dynamic process that is highly regulated by reversible post-translational modifications of the C-terminal domain (CTD) of RNA polymerase II. The CTD is a highly repetitive domain consisting mostly of the consensus heptad sequence Tyr1-Ser2-Pro3-Thr4-Ser5-Pro6-Ser7. Phosphorylation of serine residues within this repeat sequence is well studied, but modifications of all residues have been described. Here, we focus on integrating newly identified and lesser-studied CTD post-translational modifications into the existing framework. We also review the growing body of work demonstrating crosstalk between different CTD modifications and the functional consequences of such crosstalk on the dynamics of transcriptional regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle E Lyons
- Gladstone Institute of Virology and Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Sarah McMahon
- Gladstone Institute of Virology and Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA.,Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco , San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Melanie Ott
- Gladstone Institute of Virology and Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA.,Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco , San Francisco, CA, USA
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21
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Pham P, Malik S, Mak C, Calabrese PC, Roeder RG, Goodman MF. AID-RNA polymerase II transcription-dependent deamination of IgV DNA. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 47:10815-10829. [PMID: 31566237 PMCID: PMC6846656 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkz821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2019] [Revised: 09/09/2019] [Accepted: 09/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Activation-induced deoxycytidine deaminase (AID) initiates somatic hypermutation (SHM) in immunoglobulin variable (IgV) genes to produce high-affinity antibodies. SHM requires IgV transcription by RNA polymerase II (Pol II). A eukaryotic transcription system including AID has not been reported previously. Here, we reconstitute AID-catalyzed deamination during Pol II transcription elongation in conjunction with DSIF transcription factor. C→T mutations occur at similar frequencies on non-transcribed strand (NTS) and transcribed strand (TS) DNA. In contrast, bacteriophage T7 Pol generates NTS mutations predominantly. AID-Pol II mutations are strongly favored in WRC and WGCW overlapping hot motifs (W = A or T, R = A or G) on both DNA strands. Single mutations occur on 70% of transcribed DNA clones. Mutations are correlated over a 15 nt distance in multiply mutated clones, suggesting that deaminations are catalyzed processively within a stalled or backtracked transcription bubble. Site-by-site comparisons for biochemical and human memory B-cell mutational spectra in an IGHV3-23*01 target show strongly favored deaminations occurring in the antigen-binding complementarity determining regions (CDR) compared to the framework regions (FW). By exhibiting consistency with B-cell SHM, our in vitro data suggest that biochemically defined reconstituted Pol II transcription systems can be used to investigate how, when and where AID is targeted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phuong Pham
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Sohail Malik
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Chiho Mak
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Peter C Calabrese
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Robert G Roeder
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Myron F Goodman
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA.,Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
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22
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Duss O, Stepanyuk GA, Puglisi JD, Williamson JR. Transient Protein-RNA Interactions Guide Nascent Ribosomal RNA Folding. Cell 2019; 179:1357-1369.e16. [PMID: 31761533 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2019.10.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2019] [Revised: 09/18/2019] [Accepted: 10/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Ribosome assembly is an efficient but complex and heterogeneous process during which ribosomal proteins assemble on the nascent rRNA during transcription. Understanding how the interplay between nascent RNA folding and protein binding determines the fate of transcripts remains a major challenge. Here, using single-molecule fluorescence microscopy, we follow assembly of the entire 3' domain of the bacterial small ribosomal subunit in real time. We find that co-transcriptional rRNA folding is complicated by the formation of long-range RNA interactions and that r-proteins self-chaperone the rRNA folding process prior to stable incorporation into a ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complex. Assembly is initiated by transient rather than stable protein binding, and the protein-RNA binding dynamics gradually decrease during assembly. This work questions the paradigm of strictly sequential and cooperative ribosome assembly and suggests that transient binding of RNA binding proteins to cellular RNAs could provide a general mechanism to shape nascent RNA folding during RNP assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivier Duss
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Galina A Stepanyuk
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Joseph D Puglisi
- Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
| | - James R Williamson
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
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23
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Mohapatra S, Lin CT, Feng XA, Basu A, Ha T. Single-Molecule Analysis and Engineering of DNA Motors. Chem Rev 2019; 120:36-78. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.9b00361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Taekjip Ha
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
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24
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Kang J, Park SJ, Kim J, Sung J. Effects of Non‐Poisson Transcription Dynamics on Mean mRNA Number Dynamics in Living Cells. B KOREAN CHEM SOC 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/bkcs.11827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jingyu Kang
- Creative Research Initiative Center for Chemical Dynamics in Living CellsChung‐Ang University Seoul 06974 South Korea
- Department of ChemistryChung‐Ang University Seoul 06974 South Korea
| | - Seong Jun Park
- Creative Research Initiative Center for Chemical Dynamics in Living CellsChung‐Ang University Seoul 06974 South Korea
- Department of ChemistryChung‐Ang University Seoul 06974 South Korea
| | - Ji‐Hyun Kim
- Creative Research Initiative Center for Chemical Dynamics in Living CellsChung‐Ang University Seoul 06974 South Korea
| | - Jaeyoung Sung
- Creative Research Initiative Center for Chemical Dynamics in Living CellsChung‐Ang University Seoul 06974 South Korea
- Department of ChemistryChung‐Ang University Seoul 06974 South Korea
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25
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Multiplexed detection of RNA using MERFISH and branched DNA amplification. Sci Rep 2019; 9:7721. [PMID: 31118500 PMCID: PMC6531529 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-43943-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2019] [Accepted: 05/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Multiplexed error-robust fluorescence in situ hybridization (MERFISH) allows simultaneous imaging of numerous RNA species in their native cellular environment and hence spatially resolved single-cell transcriptomic measurements. However, the relatively modest brightness of signals from single RNA molecules can become limiting in a number of applications, such as increasing the imaging throughput, imaging shorter RNAs, and imaging samples with high degrees of background, such as some tissue samples. Here, we report a branched DNA (bDNA) amplification approach for MERFISH measurements. This approach produces a drastic signal increase in RNA FISH samples without increasing the fluorescent spot size for individual RNAs or increasing the variation in brightness from spot to spot, properties that are important for MERFISH imaging. Using this amplification approach in combination with MERFISH, we demonstrated RNA imaging and profiling with a near 100% detection efficiency. We further demonstrated that signal amplification improves MERFISH performance when fewer FISH probes are used for each RNA species, which should allow shorter RNAs to be imaged. We anticipate that the combination of bDNA amplification with MERFISH should facilitate many other applications and extend the range of biological questions that can be addressed by this technique in both cell culture and tissues.
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26
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Scull CE, Ingram ZM, Lucius AL, Schneider DA. A Novel Assay for RNA Polymerase I Transcription Elongation Sheds Light on the Evolutionary Divergence of Eukaryotic RNA Polymerases. Biochemistry 2019; 58:2116-2124. [PMID: 30912638 PMCID: PMC6600827 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.8b01256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Eukaryotic cells express at least three nuclear RNA polymerases (Pols), each with a unique set of gene targets. Though these enzymes are homologous, there are many differences among the Pols. In this study, a novel assay for Pol I transcription elongation was developed to probe enzymatic differences among the Pols. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a mutation in the universally conserved hinge region of the trigger loop, E1103G, induces a gain of function in the Pol II elongation rate, whereas the corresponding mutation in Pol I, E1224G, results in a loss of function. The E1103G Pol II mutation stabilizes the closed conformation of the trigger loop, promoting the catalytic step, the putative rate-limiting step for Pol II. In single-nucleotide and multinucleotide addition assays, we observe a decrease in the rate of nucleotide addition and dinucleotide cleavage activity by E1224G Pol I and an increase in the rate of misincorporation. Collectively, these data suggest that Pol I is at least in part rate-limited by the same step as Pol II, the catalytic step.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine E. Scull
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294, United States
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294, United States
| | - Zachariah M. Ingram
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294, United States
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294, United States
| | - Aaron L. Lucius
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294, United States
| | - David A. Schneider
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294, United States
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27
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Duss O, Stepanyuk GA, Grot A, O'Leary SE, Puglisi JD, Williamson JR. Real-time assembly of ribonucleoprotein complexes on nascent RNA transcripts. Nat Commun 2018; 9:5087. [PMID: 30504830 PMCID: PMC6269517 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-07423-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2018] [Accepted: 10/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Cellular protein-RNA complexes assemble on nascent transcripts, but methods to observe transcription and protein binding in real time and at physiological concentrations are not available. Here, we report a single-molecule approach based on zero-mode waveguides that simultaneously tracks transcription progress and the binding of ribosomal protein S15 to nascent RNA transcripts during early ribosome biogenesis. We observe stable binding of S15 to single RNAs immediately after transcription for the majority of the transcripts at 35 °C but for less than half at 20 °C. The remaining transcripts exhibit either rapid and transient binding or are unable to bind S15, likely due to RNA misfolding. Our work establishes the foundation for studying transcription and its coupled co-transcriptional processes, including RNA folding, ligand binding, and enzymatic activity such as in coupling of transcription to splicing, ribosome assembly or translation. The early steps of ribosome assembly occur co-transcriptionally on the nascent ribosomal RNA. Here the authors demonstrate an approach that allows simultaneous monitoring of transcription and ribosomal protein assembly at the single-molecule level in real time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivier Duss
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, Department of Chemistry, and The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA.,Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, CA, 94305, California, USA
| | - Galina A Stepanyuk
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, Department of Chemistry, and The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Annette Grot
- Department of Research and Development, Pacific Biosciences Inc, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, USA
| | - Seán E O'Leary
- Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, CA, 94305, California, USA.,Department of Biochemistry, University of California, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA
| | - Joseph D Puglisi
- Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, CA, 94305, California, USA.
| | - James R Williamson
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, Department of Chemistry, and The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA.
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28
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Senavirathne G, Lopez MA, Messer R, Fishel R, Yoder KE. Expression and purification of nuclease-free protocatechuate 3,4-dioxygenase for prolonged single-molecule fluorescence imaging. Anal Biochem 2018; 556:78-84. [PMID: 29932890 PMCID: PMC6076860 DOI: 10.1016/j.ab.2018.06.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2018] [Revised: 05/23/2018] [Accepted: 06/16/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Single-molecule (SM) microscopy is a powerful tool capable of visualizing individual molecules and events in real time. SM imaging may rely on proteins or nucleic acids labelled with a fluorophore. Unfortunately photobleaching of fluorophores leads to irreversible loss of signal, impacting the collection of data from SM experiments. Trace amounts of dissolved oxygen (O2) are the main cause of photobleaching. Oxygen scavenging systems (OSS) have been developed that decrease dissolved O2. Commercial OSS enzyme preparations are frequently contaminated with nucleases that damage nucleic acid substrates. In this protocol, we purify highly active Pseudomonas putida protocatechuate 3,4-dioxygenase (PCD) without nuclease contaminations. Quantitation of Cy3 photostability revealed that PCD with its substrate protocatechuic acid (PCA) increased the fluorophore half-life 100-fold. This low cost purification method of recombinant PCD yields an enzyme superior to commercially available OSS that is effectively free of nuclease activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gayan Senavirathne
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, The Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Miguel A. Lopez
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, The Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Ryan Messer
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, The Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Richard Fishel
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, The Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA.
| | - Kristine E. Yoder
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, The Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA,To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: (614) 688-2106; , Correspondence may also be addressed to. Tel: (614) 292-2484;
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29
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Koh HR, Roy R, Sorokina M, Tang GQ, Nandakumar D, Patel SS, Ha T. Correlating Transcription Initiation and Conformational Changes by a Single-Subunit RNA Polymerase with Near Base-Pair Resolution. Mol Cell 2018; 70:695-706.e5. [PMID: 29775583 PMCID: PMC5983381 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2018.04.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2017] [Revised: 02/23/2018] [Accepted: 04/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
We provide a comprehensive analysis of transcription in real time by T7 RNA Polymerase (RNAP) using single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer by monitoring the entire life history of transcription initiation, including stepwise RNA synthesis with near base-pair resolution, abortive cycling, and transition into elongation. Kinetically branching pathways were observed for abortive initiation with an RNAP either recycling on the same promoter or exchanging with another RNAP from solution. We detected fast and slow populations of RNAP in their transition into elongation, consistent with the efficient and delayed promoter release, respectively, observed in ensemble studies. Real-time monitoring of abortive cycling using three-probe analysis showed that the initiation events are stochastically branched into productive and failed transcription. The abortive products are generated primarily from initiation events that fail to progress to elongation, and a majority of the productive events transit to elongation without making abortive products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hye Ran Koh
- Department of Physics and Center for the Physics of Living Cells, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; Department of Chemistry, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 06974, Korea
| | - Rahul Roy
- Department of Physics and Center for the Physics of Living Cells, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Maria Sorokina
- Department of Physics and Center for the Physics of Living Cells, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Guo-Qing Tang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Rutgers University, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Divya Nandakumar
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Rutgers University, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Smita S Patel
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Rutgers University, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA.
| | - Taekjip Ha
- Department of Physics and Center for the Physics of Living Cells, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Departments of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, Biophysics, and Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, MD 21205, USA.
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30
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Multiplexed imaging of high-density libraries of RNAs with MERFISH and expansion microscopy. Sci Rep 2018; 8:4847. [PMID: 29555914 PMCID: PMC5859009 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-22297-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 129] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2017] [Accepted: 02/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
As an image-based single-cell transcriptomics approach, multiplexed error-robust fluorescence in situ hybridization (MERFISH) allows hundreds to thousands of RNA species to be identified, counted and localized in individual cells while preserving the native spatial context of RNAs. In MERFISH, RNAs are identified via a combinatorial labeling approach that encodes RNA species with error-robust barcodes followed by sequential rounds of single-molecule FISH (smFISH) to read out these barcodes. The accuracy of RNA identification relies on spatially separated signals from individual RNA molecules, which limits the density of RNAs that can be measured and makes the multiplexed imaging of a large number of high-abundance RNAs challenging. Here we report an approach that combines MERFISH and expansion microscopy to substantially increase the total density of RNAs that can be measured. Using this approach, we demonstrate accurate identification and counting of RNAs, with a near 100% detection efficiency, in a ~130-RNA library composed of many high-abundance RNAs, the total density of which is more than 10 fold higher than previously reported. In parallel, we demonstrate the combination of MERFISH with immunofluorescence in expanded samples. These advances increase the versatility of MERFISH and will facilitate its application to a wide range of biological problems.
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31
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Bentovim L, Harden TT, DePace AH. Transcriptional precision and accuracy in development: from measurements to models and mechanisms. Development 2017; 144:3855-3866. [PMID: 29089359 PMCID: PMC5702068 DOI: 10.1242/dev.146563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
During development, genes are transcribed at specific times, locations and levels. In recent years, the emergence of quantitative tools has significantly advanced our ability to measure transcription with high spatiotemporal resolution in vivo. Here, we highlight recent studies that have used these tools to characterize transcription during development, and discuss the mechanisms that contribute to the precision and accuracy of the timing, location and level of transcription. We attempt to disentangle the discrepancies in how physicists and biologists use the term ‘precision' to facilitate interactions using a common language. We also highlight selected examples in which the coupling of mathematical modeling with experimental approaches has provided important mechanistic insights, and call for a more expansive use of mathematical modeling to exploit the wealth of quantitative data and advance our understanding of animal transcription. Summary: This Review highlights how high-resolution quantitative tools and theoretical models have formed our current view of the mechanisms determining precision and accuracy in the timing, location and level of transcription in the Drosophila embryo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lital Bentovim
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Timothy T Harden
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Angela H DePace
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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32
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High-throughput, image-based screening of pooled genetic-variant libraries. Nat Methods 2017; 14:1159-1162. [PMID: 29083401 PMCID: PMC5958624 DOI: 10.1038/nmeth.4495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2017] [Accepted: 10/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
We report a high-throughput screening method that allows diverse genotypes and corresponding phenotypes to be imaged in individual cells. We achieve genotyping by introducing barcoded genetic variants into cells as pooled libraries and reading the barcodes out using massively multiplexed fluorescence in situ hybridization. To demonstrate the power of image-based pooled screening, we identified brighter and more photostable variants of the fluorescent protein YFAST among 60,000 variants.
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33
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Zhang Z, Tjian R. Measuring dynamics of eukaryotic transcription initiation: Challenges, insights and opportunities. Transcription 2017; 9:159-165. [PMID: 28920762 PMCID: PMC5927711 DOI: 10.1080/21541264.2017.1363017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Transcription of protein-encoding genes in eukaryotic cells is a dynamically coordinated process. Many of the key transcription regulators contain functionally essential intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs), the dynamic nature of which creates extra challenges to traditional biochemical analyses. Recent advances in single-molecule fluorescence imaging technology have enabled direct visualization of these rapid, complex and dynamic molecular interactions in real time.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Robert Tjian
- b Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Li Ka Shing Center for Biomedical and Health Sciences and Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California , Berkeley , CA , USA
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34
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Ibragimov AN, Kozlov EN, Kurbidaeva AS, Ryabichko SS, Shidlovskii YV. Current technics for visualizing RNA in a cell. RUSS J GENET+ 2017. [DOI: 10.1134/s1022795417100040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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35
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Zhang Z, English BP, Grimm JB, Kazane SA, Hu W, Tsai A, Inouye C, You C, Piehler J, Schultz PG, Lavis LD, Revyakin A, Tjian R. Rapid dynamics of general transcription factor TFIIB binding during preinitiation complex assembly revealed by single-molecule analysis. Genes Dev 2017; 30:2106-2118. [PMID: 27798851 PMCID: PMC5066616 DOI: 10.1101/gad.285395.116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2016] [Accepted: 09/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
In this study, Zhang et al present a single-molecule imaging-based dynamic analysis of human RNA polymerase II preinitiation complex (PIC) assembly. They established an integrated in vitro single-molecule transcription platform reconstituted from highly purified human transcription factors and complemented by live-cell imaging and performed real-time measurements of the hierarchal promoter-specific binding of TFIID, TFIIA, and TFIIB. Transcription of protein-encoding genes in eukaryotic cells requires the coordinated action of multiple general transcription factors (GTFs) and RNA polymerase II (Pol II). A “step-wise” preinitiation complex (PIC) assembly model has been suggested based on conventional ensemble biochemical measurements, in which protein factors bind stably to the promoter DNA sequentially to build a functional PIC. However, recent dynamic measurements in live cells suggest that transcription factors mostly interact with chromatin DNA rather transiently. To gain a clearer dynamic picture of PIC assembly, we established an integrated in vitro single-molecule transcription platform reconstituted from highly purified human transcription factors and complemented it by live-cell imaging. Here we performed real-time measurements of the hierarchal promoter-specific binding of TFIID, TFIIA, and TFIIB. Surprisingly, we found that while promoter binding of TFIID and TFIIA is stable, promoter binding by TFIIB is highly transient and dynamic (with an average residence time of 1.5 sec). Stable TFIIB–promoter association and progression beyond this apparent PIC assembly checkpoint control occurs only in the presence of Pol II–TFIIF. This transient-to-stable transition of TFIIB-binding dynamics has gone undetected previously and underscores the advantages of single-molecule assays for revealing the dynamic nature of complex biological reactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengjian Zhang
- Transcription Imaging Consortium, Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, Virginia 20147, USA
| | - Brian P English
- Transcription Imaging Consortium, Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, Virginia 20147, USA
| | - Jonathan B Grimm
- Transcription Imaging Consortium, Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, Virginia 20147, USA
| | - Stephanie A Kazane
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037 USA
| | - Wenxin Hu
- Transcription Imaging Consortium, Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, Virginia 20147, USA
| | - Albert Tsai
- Transcription Imaging Consortium, Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, Virginia 20147, USA
| | - Carla Inouye
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, USA.,Li Ka Shing Center for Biomedical and Health Sciences, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - Changjiang You
- Department of Biology, University of Osnabrück, 49076 Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Jacob Piehler
- Department of Biology, University of Osnabrück, 49076 Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Peter G Schultz
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037 USA
| | - Luke D Lavis
- Transcription Imaging Consortium, Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, Virginia 20147, USA
| | - Andrey Revyakin
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 9HN, United Kingdom
| | - Robert Tjian
- Transcription Imaging Consortium, Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, Virginia 20147, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, USA.,Li Ka Shing Center for Biomedical and Health Sciences, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
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36
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Marchetti M, Malinowska A, Heller I, Wuite GJL. How to switch the motor on: RNA polymerase initiation steps at the single-molecule level. Protein Sci 2017; 26:1303-1313. [PMID: 28470684 DOI: 10.1002/pro.3183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2017] [Revised: 04/26/2017] [Accepted: 04/26/2017] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
RNA polymerase (RNAP) is the central motor of gene expression since it governs the process of transcription. In prokaryotes, this holoenzyme is formed by the RNAP core and a sigma factor. After approaching and binding the specific promoter site on the DNA, the holoenzyme-promoter complex undergoes several conformational transitions that allow unwinding and opening of the DNA duplex. Once the first DNA basepairs (∼10 bp) are transcribed in an initial transcription process, the enzyme unbinds from the promoter and proceeds downstream along the DNA while continuously opening the helix and polymerizing the ribonucleotides in correspondence with the template DNA sequence. When the gene is transcribed into RNA, the process generally is terminated and RNAP unbinds from the DNA. The first step of transcription-initiation, is considered the rate-limiting step of the entire process. This review focuses on the single-molecule studies that try to reveal the key steps in the initiation phase of bacterial transcription. Such single-molecule studies have, for example, allowed real-time observations of the RNAP target search mechanism, a mechanism still under debate. Moreover, single-molecule studies using Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) revealed the conformational changes that the enzyme undergoes during initiation. Force-based techniques such as scanning force microscopy and magnetic tweezers allowed quantification of the energy that drives the RNAP translocation along DNA and its dynamics. In addition to these in vitro experiments, single particle tracking in vivo has provided a direct quantification of the relative populations in each phase of transcription and their locations within the cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Marchetti
- Department of Physics and Astronomy and LaserLaB Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - I Heller
- Department of Physics and Astronomy and LaserLaB Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - G J L Wuite
- Department of Physics and Astronomy and LaserLaB Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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37
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Wang G, Hauver J, Thomas Z, Darst SA, Pertsinidis A. Single-Molecule Real-Time 3D Imaging of the Transcription Cycle by Modulation Interferometry. Cell 2017; 167:1839-1852.e21. [PMID: 27984731 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2016.11.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2016] [Revised: 11/02/2016] [Accepted: 11/16/2016] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Many essential cellular processes, such as gene control, employ elaborate mechanisms involving the coordination of large, multi-component molecular assemblies. Few structural biology tools presently have the combined spatial-temporal resolution and molecular specificity required to capture the movement, conformational changes, and subunit association-dissociation kinetics, three fundamental elements of how such intricate molecular machines work. Here, we report a 3D single-molecule super-resolution imaging study using modulation interferometry and phase-sensitive detection that achieves <2 nm axial localization precision, well below the few-nanometer-sized individual protein components. To illustrate the capability of this technique in probing the dynamics of complex macromolecular machines, we visualize the movement of individual multi-subunit E. coli RNA polymerases through the complete transcription cycle, dissect the kinetics of the initiation-elongation transition, and determine the fate of σ70 initiation factors during promoter escape. Modulation interferometry sets the stage for single-molecule studies of several hitherto difficult-to-investigate multi-molecular transactions that underlie genome regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guanshi Wang
- Structural Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA; BCMB Graduate Program, Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Jesse Hauver
- Structural Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA; Tri-Institutional PhD Program in Chemical Biology, New York, NY 10065, USA; The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Zachary Thomas
- Structural Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Seth A Darst
- The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Alexandros Pertsinidis
- Structural Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA.
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38
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Yao J. Imaging Transcriptional Regulation of Eukaryotic mRNA Genes: Advances and Outlook. J Mol Biol 2017; 429:14-31. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2016.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2016] [Revised: 11/03/2016] [Accepted: 11/10/2016] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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39
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Davidson IF, Goetz D, Zaczek MP, Molodtsov MI, Huis In 't Veld PJ, Weissmann F, Litos G, Cisneros DA, Ocampo-Hafalla M, Ladurner R, Uhlmann F, Vaziri A, Peters JM. Rapid movement and transcriptional re-localization of human cohesin on DNA. EMBO J 2016; 35:2671-2685. [PMID: 27799150 PMCID: PMC5167347 DOI: 10.15252/embj.201695402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 154] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2016] [Revised: 09/08/2016] [Accepted: 10/03/2016] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The spatial organization, correct expression, repair, and segregation of eukaryotic genomes depend on cohesin, ring-shaped protein complexes that are thought to function by entrapping DNA It has been proposed that cohesin is recruited to specific genomic locations from distal loading sites by an unknown mechanism, which depends on transcription, and it has been speculated that cohesin movements along DNA could create three-dimensional genomic organization by loop extrusion. However, whether cohesin can translocate along DNA is unknown. Here, we used single-molecule imaging to show that cohesin can diffuse rapidly on DNA in a manner consistent with topological entrapment and can pass over some DNA-bound proteins and nucleosomes but is constrained in its movement by transcription and DNA-bound CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF). These results indicate that cohesin can be positioned in the genome by moving along DNA, that transcription can provide directionality to these movements, that CTCF functions as a boundary element for moving cohesin, and they are consistent with the hypothesis that cohesin spatially organizes the genome via loop extrusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iain F Davidson
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna, Austria
| | - Daniela Goetz
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna, Austria
| | - Maciej P Zaczek
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna, Austria
| | - Maxim I Molodtsov
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna, Austria
- Max F. Perutz Laboratories, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | | | | | - Gabriele Litos
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna, Austria
| | - David A Cisneros
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Rene Ladurner
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Alipasha Vaziri
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna, Austria
- Max F. Perutz Laboratories, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
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40
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Transcriptional bursting is intrinsically caused by interplay between RNA polymerases on DNA. Nat Commun 2016; 7:13788. [PMID: 27924870 PMCID: PMC5151093 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms13788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2016] [Accepted: 11/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell-to-cell variability plays a critical role in cellular responses and decision-making in a population, and transcriptional bursting has been broadly studied by experimental and theoretical approaches as the potential source of cell-to-cell variability. Although molecular mechanisms of transcriptional bursting have been proposed, there is little consensus. An unsolved key question is whether transcriptional bursting is intertwined with many transcriptional regulatory factors or is an intrinsic characteristic of RNA polymerase on DNA. Here we design an in vitro single-molecule measurement system to analyse the kinetics of transcriptional bursting. The results indicate that transcriptional bursting is caused by interplay between RNA polymerases on DNA. The kinetics of in vitro transcriptional bursting is quantitatively consistent with the gene-nonspecific kinetics previously observed in noisy gene expression in vivo. Our kinetic analysis based on a cellular automaton model confirms that arrest and rescue by trailing RNA polymerase intrinsically causes transcriptional bursting.
Transcriptional bursting is a potential source of cell-to-cell variability but the molecular mechanisms are unclear. Here the authors use single molecule imaging to analyse the kinetics of bursting on DNA and observe that bursting is an intrinsic property of RNA polymerases on DNA.
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41
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Wang Y, Liu F, Wang W. Kinetics of transcription initiation directed by multiple cis-regulatory elements on the glnAp2 promoter. Nucleic Acids Res 2016; 44:10530-10538. [PMID: 27899598 PMCID: PMC5159524 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkw1150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2016] [Revised: 10/31/2016] [Accepted: 11/03/2016] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Transcription initiation is orchestrated by dynamic molecular interactions, with kinetic steps difficult to detect. Utilizing a hybrid method, we aim to unravel essential kinetic steps of transcriptional regulation on the glnAp2 promoter, whose regulatory region includes two enhancers (sites I and II) and three low-affinity sequences (sites III-V), to which the transcriptional activator NtrC binds. By structure reconstruction, we analyze all possible organization architectures of the transcription apparatus (TA). The main regulatory mode involves two NtrC hexamers: one at enhancer II transiently associates with site V such that the other at enhancer I can rapidly approach and catalyze the σ54-RNA polymerase holoenzyme. We build a kinetic model characterizing essential steps of the TA operation; with the known kinetics of the holoenzyme interacting with DNA, this model enables the kinetics beyond technical detection to be determined by fitting the input-output function of the wild-type promoter. The model further quantitatively reproduces transcriptional activities of various mutated promoters. These results reveal different roles played by two enhancers and interpret why the low-affinity elements conditionally enhance or repress transcription. This work presents an integrated dynamic picture of regulated transcription initiation and suggests an evolutionarily conserved characteristic guaranteeing reliable transcriptional response to regulatory signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaolai Wang
- National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures and Department of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Feng Liu
- National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures and Department of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China .,Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Wei Wang
- National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures and Department of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China .,Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
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42
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Zhen CY, Tatavosian R, Huynh TN, Duc HN, Das R, Kokotovic M, Grimm JB, Lavis LD, Lee J, Mejia FJ, Li Y, Yao T, Ren X. Live-cell single-molecule tracking reveals co-recognition of H3K27me3 and DNA targets polycomb Cbx7-PRC1 to chromatin. eLife 2016; 5. [PMID: 27723458 PMCID: PMC5056789 DOI: 10.7554/elife.17667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2016] [Accepted: 08/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The Polycomb PRC1 plays essential roles in development and disease pathogenesis. Targeting of PRC1 to chromatin is thought to be mediated by the Cbx family proteins (Cbx2/4/6/7/8) binding to histone H3 with a K27me3 modification (H3K27me3). Despite this prevailing view, the molecular mechanisms of targeting remain poorly understood. Here, by combining live-cell single-molecule tracking (SMT) and genetic engineering, we reveal that H3K27me3 contributes significantly to the targeting of Cbx7 and Cbx8 to chromatin, but less to Cbx2, Cbx4, and Cbx6. Genetic disruption of the complex formation of PRC1 facilitates the targeting of Cbx7 to chromatin. Biochemical analyses uncover that the CD and AT-hook-like (ATL) motif of Cbx7 constitute a functional DNA-binding unit. Live-cell SMT of Cbx7 mutants demonstrates that Cbx7 is targeted to chromatin by co-recognizing of H3K27me3 and DNA. Our data suggest a novel hierarchical cooperation mechanism by which histone modifications and DNA coordinate to target chromatin regulatory complexes. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.17667.001
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Yu Zhen
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, United States
| | - Roubina Tatavosian
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, United States
| | - Thao Ngoc Huynh
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, United States
| | - Huy Nguyen Duc
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, United States
| | - Raibatak Das
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, United States
| | - Marko Kokotovic
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, United States
| | - Jonathan B Grimm
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - Luke D Lavis
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - Jun Lee
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, United States
| | - Frances J Mejia
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, United States
| | - Yang Li
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, United States
| | - Tingting Yao
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, United States
| | - Xiaojun Ren
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, United States
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43
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High-throughput single-cell gene-expression profiling with multiplexed error-robust fluorescence in situ hybridization. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2016; 113:11046-51. [PMID: 27625426 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1612826113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 268] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Image-based approaches to single-cell transcriptomics, in which RNA species are identified and counted in situ via imaging, have emerged as a powerful complement to single-cell methods based on RNA sequencing of dissociated cells. These image-based approaches naturally preserve the native spatial context of RNAs within a cell and the organization of cells within tissue, which are important for addressing many biological questions. However, the throughput of these image-based approaches is relatively low. Here we report advances that lead to a drastic increase in the measurement throughput of multiplexed error-robust fluorescence in situ hybridization (MERFISH), an image-based approach to single-cell transcriptomics. In MERFISH, RNAs are identified via a combinatorial labeling approach that encodes RNA species with error-robust barcodes followed by sequential rounds of single-molecule fluorescence in situ hybridization (smFISH) to read out these barcodes. Here we increase the throughput of MERFISH by two orders of magnitude through a combination of improvements, including using chemical cleavage instead of photobleaching to remove fluorescent signals between consecutive rounds of smFISH imaging, increasing the imaging field of view, and using multicolor imaging. With these improvements, we performed RNA profiling in more than 100,000 human cells, with as many as 40,000 cells measured in a single 18-h measurement. This throughput should substantially extend the range of biological questions that can be addressed by MERFISH.
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44
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Abstract
The production of a single mRNA is the result of many sequential steps, from docking of transcription factors to polymerase initiation, elongation, splicing, and, finally, termination. Much of our knowledge about the fundamentals of RNA synthesis and processing come from ensemble in vitro biochemical measurements. Single-molecule approaches are very much in this same reductionist tradition but offer exquisite sensitivity in space and time along with the ability to observe heterogeneous behavior and actually manipulate macromolecules. These techniques can also be applied in vivo, allowing one to address questions in living cells that were previously restricted to reconstituted systems. In this review, we examine the unique insights that single-molecule techniques have yielded on the mechanisms of gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huimin Chen
- Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA
| | - Daniel R Larson
- Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA
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45
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Coleman RA, Liu Z, Darzacq X, Tjian R, Singer RH, Lionnet T. Imaging Transcription: Past, Present, and Future. COLD SPRING HARBOR SYMPOSIA ON QUANTITATIVE BIOLOGY 2016; 80:1-8. [PMID: 26763984 DOI: 10.1101/sqb.2015.80.027201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Transcription, the first step of gene expression, is exquisitely regulated in higher eukaryotes to ensure correct development and homeostasis. Traditional biochemical, genetic, and genomic approaches have proved successful at identifying factors, regulatory sequences, and potential pathways that modulate transcription. However, they typically only provide snapshots or population averages of the highly dynamic, stochastic biochemical processes involved in transcriptional regulation. Single-molecule live-cell imaging has, therefore, emerged as a complementary approach capable of circumventing these limitations. By observing sequences of molecular events in real time as they occur in their native context, imaging has the power to derive cause-and-effect relationships and quantitative kinetics to build predictive models of transcription. Ongoing progress in fluorescence imaging technology has brought new microscopes and labeling technologies that now make it possible to visualize and quantify the transcription process with single-molecule resolution in living cells and animals. Here we provide an overview of the evolution and current state of transcription imaging technologies. We discuss some of the important concepts they uncovered and present possible future developments that might solve long-standing questions in transcriptional regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert A Coleman
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461
| | - Zhe Liu
- HHMI Janelia Research Campus, Ashburn, Virginia 20147
| | - Xavier Darzacq
- HHMI Janelia Research Campus, Ashburn, Virginia 20147 Department of MCB, LKS Biomedical and Health Sciences Center, CIRM Center of Excellence, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720
| | - Robert Tjian
- HHMI Janelia Research Campus, Ashburn, Virginia 20147 Department of MCB, LKS Biomedical and Health Sciences Center, CIRM Center of Excellence, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720
| | - Robert H Singer
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461 HHMI Janelia Research Campus, Ashburn, Virginia 20147
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46
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Senavirathne G, Bertram JG, Jaszczur M, Chaurasiya KR, Pham P, Mak CH, Goodman MF, Rueda D. Activation-induced deoxycytidine deaminase (AID) co-transcriptional scanning at single-molecule resolution. Nat Commun 2015; 6:10209. [PMID: 26681117 PMCID: PMC4703863 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms10209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2014] [Accepted: 11/13/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Activation-induced deoxycytidine deaminase (AID) generates antibody diversity in B cells by initiating somatic hypermutation (SHM) and class-switch recombination (CSR) during transcription of immunoglobulin variable (IgV) and switch region (IgS) DNA. Using single-molecule FRET, we show that AID binds to transcribed dsDNA and translocates unidirectionally in concert with RNA polymerase (RNAP) on moving transcription bubbles, while increasing the fraction of stalled bubbles. AID scans randomly when constrained in an 8 nt model bubble. When unconstrained on single-stranded (ss) DNA, AID moves in random bidirectional short slides/hops over the entire molecule while remaining bound for ∼5 min. Our analysis distinguishes dynamic scanning from static ssDNA creasing. That AID alone can track along with RNAP during transcription and scan within stalled transcription bubbles suggests a mechanism by which AID can initiate SHM and CSR when properly regulated, yet when unregulated can access non-Ig genes and cause cancer. Activation-induced deoxycytidine deaminase (AID) induces somatic hypermutation and class-switch recombination during transcription of immunoglobulin genes. Here the authors use single-molecule FRET to show that AID translocates together with RNA polymerase and scans within stalled transcription bubbles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gayan Senavirathne
- Department of Chemistry, Wayne State University, 5101 Cass Avenue, Detroit, Michigan 48202, USA
| | - Jeffrey G Bertram
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA
| | - Malgorzata Jaszczur
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA
| | - Kathy R Chaurasiya
- Department of Medicine, Section of Virology, Imperial College London, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK.,Single Molecule Imaging Group, MRC Clinical Sciences Center, Imperial College London, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Phuong Pham
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA
| | - Chi H Mak
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA.,Center for Applied Mathematical Science, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA
| | - Myron F Goodman
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA.,Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA
| | - David Rueda
- Department of Chemistry, Wayne State University, 5101 Cass Avenue, Detroit, Michigan 48202, USA.,Department of Medicine, Section of Virology, Imperial College London, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK.,Single Molecule Imaging Group, MRC Clinical Sciences Center, Imperial College London, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK
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47
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Salomon WE, Jolly SM, Moore MJ, Zamore PD, Serebrov V. Single-Molecule Imaging Reveals that Argonaute Reshapes the Binding Properties of Its Nucleic Acid Guides. Cell 2015; 162:84-95. [PMID: 26140592 PMCID: PMC4503223 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2015.06.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 186] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2014] [Revised: 04/01/2015] [Accepted: 06/09/2015] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Argonaute proteins repress gene expression and defend against foreign nucleic acids using short RNAs or DNAs to specify the correct target RNA or DNA sequence. We have developed single-molecule methods to analyze target binding and cleavage mediated by the Argonaute:guide complex, RISC. We find that both eukaryotic and prokaryotic Argonaute proteins reshape the fundamental properties of RNA:RNA, RNA:DNA, and DNA:DNA hybridization—a small RNA or DNA bound to Argonaute as a guide no longer follows the well-established rules by which oligonucleotides find, bind, and dissociate from complementary nucleic acid sequences. Argonautes distinguish substrates from targets with similar complementarity. Mouse AGO2, for example, binds tighter to miRNA targets than its RNAi cleavage product, even though the cleaved product contains more base pairs. By re-writing the rules for nucleic acid hybridization, Argonautes allow oligonucleotides to serve as specificity determinants with thermodynamic and kinetic properties more typical of RNA-binding proteins than of RNA or DNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- William E Salomon
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Samson M Jolly
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Melissa J Moore
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Phillip D Zamore
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA.
| | - Victor Serebrov
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA.
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48
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Liu Z, Lavis L, Betzig E. Imaging Live-Cell Dynamics and Structure at the Single-Molecule Level. Mol Cell 2015; 58:644-59. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2015.02.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 353] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
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49
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Gaspar I, Ephrussi A. Strength in numbers: quantitative single-molecule RNA detection assays. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 2015; 4:135-50. [PMID: 25645249 PMCID: PMC5024021 DOI: 10.1002/wdev.170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2014] [Accepted: 12/02/2014] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Gene expression is a fundamental process that underlies development, homeostasis, and behavior of organisms. The fact that it relies on nucleic acid intermediates, which can specifically interact with complementary probes, provides an excellent opportunity for studying the multiple steps—transcription, RNA processing, transport, translation, degradation, and so forth—through which gene function manifests. Over the past three decades, the toolbox of nucleic acid science has expanded tremendously, making high‐precision in situ detection of DNA and RNA possible. This has revealed that many—probably the vast majority of—transcripts are distributed within the cytoplasm or the nucleus in a nonrandom fashion. With the development of microscopy techniques we have learned not only about the qualitative localization of these molecules but also about their absolute numbers with great precision. Single‐molecule techniques for nucleic acid detection have been transforming our views of biology with elementary power: cells are not average members of their population but are highly distinct individuals with greatly and suddenly changing gene expression, and this behavior of theirs can be measured, modeled, and thus predicted and, finally, comprehended. WIREs Dev Biol 2015, 4:135–150. doi: 10.1002/wdev.170 For further resources related to this article, please visit the
WIREs website. Conflict of interest: The authors have declared no conflicts of interest for this article.
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Affiliation(s)
- Imre Gaspar
- Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
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50
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A general method to improve fluorophores for live-cell and single-molecule microscopy. Nat Methods 2015; 12:244-50, 3 p following 250. [PMID: 25599551 PMCID: PMC4344395 DOI: 10.1038/nmeth.3256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 950] [Impact Index Per Article: 105.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2014] [Accepted: 12/08/2014] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Specific labeling of biomolecules with bright fluorophores is the keystone of fluorescence microscopy. Genetically encoded self-labeling tag proteins can be coupled to synthetic dyes inside living cells, resulting in brighter reporters than fluorescent proteins. Intracellular labeling using these techniques requires cell-permeable fluorescent ligands, however, limiting utility to a small number of classic fluorophores. Here, we describe a simple structural modification that improves the brightness and photostability of dyes while preserving spectral properties and cell permeability. Inspired by molecular modeling, we replaced the N,N-dimethylamino substituents in tetramethylrhodamine with four-membered azetidine rings. This addition of two carbon atoms doubles the quantum efficiency and improves the photon yield of the dye in applications ranging from in vitro single-molecule measurements to super-resolution imaging. The novel substitution is generalizable, yielding a palette of chemical dyes with improved quantum efficiencies that spans the UV and visible range.
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