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Cao F, Zhang Y, Cai Y, Animesh S, Zhang Y, Akincilar SC, Loh YP, Li X, Chng WJ, Tergaonkar V, Kwoh CK, Fullwood MJ. Chromatin interaction neural network (ChINN): a machine learning-based method for predicting chromatin interactions from DNA sequences. Genome Biol 2021; 22:226. [PMID: 34399797 PMCID: PMC8365954 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-021-02453-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Chromatin interactions play important roles in regulating gene expression. However, the availability of genome-wide chromatin interaction data is limited. We develop a computational method, chromatin interaction neural network (ChINN), to predict chromatin interactions between open chromatin regions using only DNA sequences. ChINN predicts CTCF- and RNA polymerase II-associated and Hi-C chromatin interactions. ChINN shows good across-sample performances and captures various sequence features for chromatin interaction prediction. We apply ChINN to 6 chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patient samples and a published cohort of 84 CLL open chromatin samples. Our results demonstrate extensive heterogeneity in chromatin interactions among CLL patient samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan Cao
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, 14 Medical Dr, Singapore, 117599 Singapore
| | - Yu Zhang
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Block N4, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798 Singapore
| | - Yichao Cai
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, 14 Medical Dr, Singapore, 117599 Singapore
| | - Sambhavi Animesh
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, 14 Medical Dr, Singapore, 117599 Singapore
| | - Ying Zhang
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, 14 Medical Dr, Singapore, 117599 Singapore
| | - Semih Can Akincilar
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science (IMCB), A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research,, Singapore, 138673 Singapore
| | - Yan Ping Loh
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, 14 Medical Dr, Singapore, 117599 Singapore
| | - Xinya Li
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore, 637551 Singapore
| | - Wee Joo Chng
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, 14 Medical Dr, Singapore, 117599 Singapore
- Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 1E Kent Ridge Road, Singapore, 119228 Singapore
- Department of Haematology-Oncology, National University Cancer Institute, National University Health System, NUH Zone B, Medical Centre, Singapore, 119074 Singapore
| | - Vinay Tergaonkar
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science (IMCB), A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research,, Singapore, 138673 Singapore
- Department of Pathology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS), Singapore, 117597 Singapore
| | - Chee Keong Kwoh
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Block N4, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798 Singapore
| | - Melissa J. Fullwood
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, 14 Medical Dr, Singapore, 117599 Singapore
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science (IMCB), A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research,, Singapore, 138673 Singapore
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore, 637551 Singapore
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Akincilar SC, Chan CHT, Ng QF, Fidan K, Tergaonkar V. Non-canonical roles of canonical telomere binding proteins in cancers. Cell Mol Life Sci 2021; 78:4235-4257. [PMID: 33599797 PMCID: PMC8164586 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-021-03783-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Revised: 12/28/2020] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Reactivation of telomerase is a major hallmark observed in 90% of all cancers. Yet paradoxically, enhanced telomerase activity does not correlate with telomere length and cancers often possess short telomeres; suggestive of supplementary non-canonical roles that telomerase might play in the development of cancer. Moreover, studies have shown that aberrant expression of shelterin proteins coupled with their release from shortening telomeres can further promote cancer by mechanisms independent of their telomeric role. While targeting telomerase activity appears to be an attractive therapeutic option, this approach has failed in clinical trials due to undesirable cytotoxic effects on stem cells. To circumvent this concern, an alternative strategy could be to target the molecules involved in the non-canonical functions of telomeric proteins. In this review, we will focus on emerging evidence that has demonstrated the non-canonical roles of telomeric proteins and their impact on tumorigenesis. Furthermore, we aim to address current knowledge gaps in telomeric protein functions and propose future research approaches that can be undertaken to achieve this.
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Affiliation(s)
- Semih Can Akincilar
- Division of Cancer Genetics and Therapeutics, Laboratory of NFκB Signaling, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), Proteos, 61, Biopolis Drive, Singapore, 138673, Singapore
| | - Claire Hian Tzer Chan
- Division of Cancer Genetics and Therapeutics, Laboratory of NFκB Signaling, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), Proteos, 61, Biopolis Drive, Singapore, 138673, Singapore
| | - Qin Feng Ng
- Division of Cancer Genetics and Therapeutics, Laboratory of NFκB Signaling, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), Proteos, 61, Biopolis Drive, Singapore, 138673, Singapore
| | - Kerem Fidan
- Division of Cancer Genetics and Therapeutics, Laboratory of NFκB Signaling, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), Proteos, 61, Biopolis Drive, Singapore, 138673, Singapore
| | - Vinay Tergaonkar
- Division of Cancer Genetics and Therapeutics, Laboratory of NFκB Signaling, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), Proteos, 61, Biopolis Drive, Singapore, 138673, Singapore.
- Department of Pathology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117593, Singapore.
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Abstract
Activation of telomerase is a critical step in the development of about 85 % of human cancers. Levels of Tert, which encodes the reverse transcriptase subunit of telomerase, are limiting in normal somatic cells. Tert is subjected to transcriptional, post-transcriptional and epigenetic regulation, but the precise mechanism of how telomerase is re-activated in cancer cells is poorly understood. Reactivation of the Tert promoter involves multiple changes which evolve during cancer progression including mutations and chromosomal re-arrangements. Newly described non-coding mutations in the Tert promoter region of many cancer cells (19 %) in two key positions, C250T and C228T, have added another layer of complexity to telomerase reactivation. These mutations create novel consensus sequences for transcription factors which can enhance Tert expression. In this review, we will discuss gene structure and function of Tert and provide insights into the mechanisms of Tert reactivation in cancers, highlighting the contribution of recently identified Tert promoter mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Semih Can Akincilar
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), Proteos, 61, Biopolis Drive, Singapore, 138673, Singapore
- Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS), Singapore, 117597, Singapore
| | - Bilal Unal
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), Proteos, 61, Biopolis Drive, Singapore, 138673, Singapore
- Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS), Singapore, 117597, Singapore
| | - Vinay Tergaonkar
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), Proteos, 61, Biopolis Drive, Singapore, 138673, Singapore.
- Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS), Singapore, 117597, Singapore.
- Centre for Cancer Biology, University of South Australia and SA Pathology, Adelaide, Australia.
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