1
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Chaudhury SN, Jespersen NE, Hennelly SP, Sanbonmatsu KY. Regulatory helix plays a key role in genetic ON-OFF switching for the 2'-deoxyguanosine sensing mRNA element. J Biol Chem 2025:110282. [PMID: 40412519 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2025.110282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2024] [Revised: 05/09/2025] [Accepted: 05/20/2025] [Indexed: 05/27/2025] Open
Abstract
Transcriptional riboswitches, noncoding mRNA elements that operate in cis to regulate gene expression, have a promising potential in medicine, synthetic biology and directed evolution. They bind to cellular metabolites or metal ions with high specificity, leading to conformational rearrangements that facilitate the activation or premature termination of transcription for downstream genes. This elegant mechanism for feedback regulation of metabolic pathways has been identified in prokaryotes and a few in eukaryotes. Our chemical probing of the 2'-deoxyguanosine (2'-dG)-sensing riboswitch demonstrates that the overall conformational state of the full-length riboswitch (dGsw-fl) is unresponsive to the 2'-dG. Although binding proceeds as expected, dGsw-fl exclusively populates an OFF state of transcriptional inhibition. We chemically probed the structure of a known dGsw transcriptional intermediate (dGsw-int) to evaluate the possibility of a cotranscriptional regulatory role. Interestingly, apo dGsw-int adopts an alternative conformation in which a stable anti-terminator helix is formed, leading to an ON state where transcription can proceed. In the presence of 2'-dG, this anti-terminator helix is destabilized to produce a conformation reminiscent of the full-length, OFF-state dGsw. Using a fluorescence quenching assay, we demonstrate that binding 2'-dG to early transcriptional intermediates can inhibit the formation of the anti-terminator helix, locking dGsw in an OFF state. These data suggest that metabolite sensing occurs during a brief window of time between the synthesis of two transcriptional intermediates. Our studies indicate that dGsw does not function as a binary ON-OFF switch, but instead fine-tunes the transcription of downstream genes during RNA synthesis using key intermediates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susmit Narayan Chaudhury
- Theoretical Biology and Biophysics, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, United States
| | - Nathan Edward Jespersen
- Theoretical Biology and Biophysics, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, United States
| | - Scott P Hennelly
- Theoretical Biology and Biophysics, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, United States
| | - Karissa Y Sanbonmatsu
- Theoretical Biology and Biophysics, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, United States; New Mexico Consortium, Los Alamos, NM 87544, United States.
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2
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Zhang H, Ding Y. RNA Structure: Function and Application in Plant Biology. ANNUAL REVIEW OF PLANT BIOLOGY 2025; 76:115-141. [PMID: 40101225 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-arplant-083123-055521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/20/2025]
Abstract
RNA orchestrates intricate structures that influence gene expression and protein production in all living organisms, with implications for fundamental biology, medicine, and agriculture. Although extensive research has been conducted on RNA biology, many regulatory mechanisms remain elusive due to the complex and dynamic nature of RNA structures and past technological limitations. Recent advancements in RNA structure technology have revolutionized plant RNA biology research. Here, we review cutting-edge technologies for studying RNA structures in plants and their functional significance in diverse biological processes. Additionally, we highlight the pivotal role of RNA structure in influencing plant growth, development, and responses to environmental stresses. We also discuss the potential evolutionary significance of RNA structure in natural adaptation and crop domestication. Finally, we propose leveraging RNA structure-mediated gene regulation as an innovative strategy to bolster plant resilience against climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huakun Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of the Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China;
| | - Yiliang Ding
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, United Kingdom;
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3
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Farberov S, Ziv O, Lau JY, Ben-Tov Perry R, Lubelsky Y, Miska E, Kudla G, Ulitsky I. Structural features within the NORAD long noncoding RNA underlie efficient repression of Pumilio activity. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2025; 32:287-299. [PMID: 39327473 PMCID: PMC7617650 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-024-01393-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/27/2024] [Indexed: 09/28/2024]
Abstract
Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are increasingly appreciated for their important functions in mammalian cells. However, how their functional capacities are encoded in their sequences and manifested in their structures remains largely unknown. Some lncRNAs bind to and modulate the availability of RNA-binding proteins, but the structural principles that underlie this mode of regulation are unknown. The NORAD lncRNA is a known decoy for Pumilio proteins, which modulate the translation and stability of hundreds of messenger RNAs and, consequently, a regulator of genomic stability and aging. Here we probed the RNA structure and long-range RNA-RNA interactions formed by human NORAD inside cells under different stressful conditions. We discovered a highly modular structure consisting of well-defined domains that contribute independently to NORAD function. Following arsenite stress, most structural domains undergo relaxation and form interactions with other RNAs that are targeted to stress granules. We further revealed a unique structural organization that spatially clusters the multiple Pumilio binding sites along NORAD and consequently contributes to the derepression of Pumilio targets. We then applied these structural principles to design an effective artificial decoy for the let-7 microRNA. Our work demonstrates how the sequence of a lncRNA spatially clusters its function into separated domains and how structural principles can be employed for the rational design of lncRNAs with desired activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Svetlana Farberov
- Department of Immunology and Regenerative Biology and Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Omer Ziv
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
- Eleven Therapeutics, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Jian You Lau
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Rotem Ben-Tov Perry
- Department of Immunology and Regenerative Biology and Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Yoav Lubelsky
- Department of Immunology and Regenerative Biology and Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Eric Miska
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Grzegorz Kudla
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
| | - Igor Ulitsky
- Department of Immunology and Regenerative Biology and Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
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4
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Kiger NM, Schroeder SJ. SVALKA: A Long Noncoding Cis-Natural Antisense RNA That Plays a Role in the Regulation of the Cold Response of Arabidopsis thaliana. Noncoding RNA 2024; 10:59. [PMID: 39728604 DOI: 10.3390/ncrna10060059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2024] [Revised: 11/26/2024] [Accepted: 11/26/2024] [Indexed: 12/28/2024] Open
Abstract
RNA plays important roles in the regulation of gene expression in response to environmental stimuli. SVALKA, a long noncoding cis-natural antisense RNA, is a key component of regulating the response to cold temperature in Arabidopsis thaliana. There are three mechanisms through which SVALKA fine tunes the transcriptional response to cold temperatures. SVALKA regulates the expression of the CBF1 (C-Repeat Dehydration Binding Factor 1) transcription factor through a collisional transcription mechanism and a dsRNA and DICER mediated mechanism. SVALKA also interacts with Polycomb Repressor Complex 2 to regulate the histone methylation of CBF3. Both CBF1 and CBF3 are key components of the COLD REGULATED (COR) regulon that direct the plant's response to cold temperature over time, as well as plant drought adaptation, pathogen responses, and growth regulation. The different isoforms of SVALKA and its potential to form dynamic RNA conformations are important features in regulating a complex gene network in concert with several other noncoding RNA. This review will summarize the three mechanisms through which SVALKA participates in gene regulation, describe the ways that dynamic RNA structures support the function of regulatory noncoding RNA, and explore the potential for improving agricultural genetic engineering with a better understanding of the roles of noncoding RNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas M Kiger
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
| | - Susan J Schroeder
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
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5
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Mishra A, Mishra S. Metastasis-Associated Lung Adenocarcinoma Transcript 1 ( MALAT1) lncRNA Conformational Dynamics in Complex with RNA-Binding Protein with Serine-Rich Domain 1 (RNPS1) in the Pan-cancer Splicing and Gene Expression. ACS OMEGA 2024; 9:42212-42226. [PMID: 39431102 PMCID: PMC11483381 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.4c04467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2024] [Revised: 09/11/2024] [Accepted: 09/16/2024] [Indexed: 10/22/2024]
Abstract
Alternative splicing events increase the transcriptomic and proteomic complexity in cancers. Overexpression of metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1), a highly conserved lncRNA, is widely known to promote cancer development, one mechanism for which may be through the regulation of alternative splicing and, thereby, gene expression. Its regulatory interactions with proteins have been a subject of much interest, yet little research has been carried out on the mechanisms adopted. It has been observed that MALAT1 binds to RNA-binding protein with serine-rich domain 1 (RNPS1), being colocalized in the nuclear speckles, and together, these two binding partners may regulate alternative splicing. Upregulated RNPS1 is predicted to play a key role in the pan-cancer development. Experimental tertiary structure of full-length MALAT1 is currently lacking despite the availability of the 3D structure of 3' expression and nuclear retention element. We hypothesize that the computationally modeled tertiary structures of the specific binding motifs in the M-region, E-region, and full-length structures of MALAT1 may adopt a modular structure and bind to the RNPS1 loop region of RS/P domain involved in exon skipping, interacting in a manner fully consistent with the biochemical experiments. Extensive observations using the powerful molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of MALAT1 regions bound to RNPS1 suggested that all three regions form interactive, yet stable complexes. The ranking of the MM-GBSA- and MM-PBSA-derived binding free energies between these complexes corroborated well in the MD simulations and experiments. Energy decomposition analyses suggested that arginines in the RNPS1 protein are among the major contributors toward the binding free energies as calculated by MM-GBSA present in the Amber package; while among the nucleotides, the major contributors were nucleotides with G and A nucleobases, with more contributory effect in comparison to arginines, across the bound M-region, E-region, and full-length MALAT1. This suggests that specific purines play a greater role in the complex formation, in a loop-specific manner, and the more proactive approach in complexation tilts toward MALAT1. To the best of our knowledge, our studies are the first studies taking a unique approach, utilizing the binding motifs to deduce a tertiary structure of MALAT1, toward our understanding of the lncRNA-protein interactions, stability, and binding on a structural basis. The therapeutic implications of targeting this complex formation to regulate splicing and hence, oncogenesis, is further envisaged.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aanchal Mishra
- Department of Biochemistry, School
of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad-500046 Hyderabad, India
| | - Seema Mishra
- Department of Biochemistry, School
of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad-500046 Hyderabad, India
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6
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Szcześniak MW, Wanowska E. CANTATAdb 3.0: An Updated Repository of Plant Long Non-Coding RNAs. PLANT & CELL PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 65:1486-1493. [PMID: 39018027 PMCID: PMC11447640 DOI: 10.1093/pcp/pcae081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2024] [Revised: 07/09/2024] [Accepted: 07/16/2024] [Indexed: 07/18/2024]
Abstract
CANTATAdb 3.0 is an updated database of plant long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), containing 571,688 lncRNAs identified across 108 species, including 100 Magnoliopsida (flowering plants), a significant expansion from the previous version. A notable feature is the inclusion of 112,980 lncRNAs that are expressed specifically in certain plant organs or embryos, indicating their potential role in development and organ-specific processes. In addition, CANTATAdb 3.0 includes 74,886 pairs of evolutionarily conserved lncRNAs found across 47 species and inferred from genome-genome alignments as well as conserved lncRNAs obtained using a similarity search approach in 5,479 species pairs, which would further aid in the selection of lncRNAs for functional studies. Interestingly, we find that conserved lncRNAs with tissue-specific expression patterns tend to occupy the same plant organ across different species, pointing toward conserved biological roles. The database now offers extended search capabilities and downloadable data in popular formats, further facilitating research on plant lncRNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michał Wojciech Szcześniak
- Laboratory of RNA Biology, Institute of Human Biology and Evolution, Adam Mickiewicz University, ul. Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 6, Poznan 61-614, Poland
| | - Elżbieta Wanowska
- Laboratory of RNA Biology, Institute of Human Biology and Evolution, Adam Mickiewicz University, ul. Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 6, Poznan 61-614, Poland
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7
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Elmasri RA, Rashwan AA, Gaber SH, Rostom MM, Karousi P, Yasser MB, Kontos CK, Youness RA. Puzzling out the role of MIAT LncRNA in hepatocellular carcinoma. Noncoding RNA Res 2024; 9:547-559. [PMID: 38515792 PMCID: PMC10955557 DOI: 10.1016/j.ncrna.2024.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2023] [Revised: 12/31/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
A non-negligible part of our DNA has been proven to be transcribed into non-protein coding RNA and its intricate involvement in several physiological processes has been highly evidenced. The significant biological role of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), including long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) has been variously reported. In the current review, the authors highlight the multifaceted role of myocardial infarction-associated transcript (MIAT), a well-known lncRNA, in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Since its discovery, MIAT has been described as a regulator of carcinogenesis in several malignant tumors and its overexpression predicts poor prognosis in most of them. At the molecular level, MIAT is closely linked to the initiation of metastasis, invasion, cellular migration, and proliferation, as evidenced by several in-vitro and in-vivo models. Thus, MIAT is considered a possible theranostic agent and therapeutic target in several malignancies. In this review, the authors provide a comprehensive overview of the underlying molecular mechanisms of MIAT in terms of its downstream target genes, interaction with other classes of ncRNAs, and potential clinical implications as a diagnostic and/or prognostic biomarker in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rawan Amr Elmasri
- Molecular Genetics Research Team (MGRT), Biology and Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Biotechnology, German International University (GIU), New Administrative Capital, 11835, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Alaa A. Rashwan
- Molecular Genetics Research Team (MGRT), Biology and Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Biotechnology, German International University (GIU), New Administrative Capital, 11835, Cairo, Egypt
- Biotechnology Graduate Program, School of Sciences and Engineering, The American University in Cairo (AUC), 11835, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Sarah Hany Gaber
- Molecular Genetics Research Team (MGRT), Biology and Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Biotechnology, German International University (GIU), New Administrative Capital, 11835, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Monica Mosaad Rostom
- Pharmacology and Toxicology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, German University in Cairo (GUC), 11835, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Paraskevi Karousi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, 15701, Athens, Greece
| | - Montaser Bellah Yasser
- Bioinformatics Group, Center for Informatics Sciences (CIS), School of Information Technology and Computer Science (ITCS), Nile University, Giza, Egypt
| | - Christos K. Kontos
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, 15701, Athens, Greece
| | - Rana A. Youness
- Molecular Genetics Research Team (MGRT), Biology and Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Biotechnology, German International University (GIU), New Administrative Capital, 11835, Cairo, Egypt
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8
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Bose E, Xiong S, Jones AN. Probing RNA structure and dynamics using nanopore and next generation sequencing. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:107317. [PMID: 38677514 PMCID: PMC11145556 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
It has become increasingly evident that the structures RNAs adopt are conformationally dynamic; the various structured states that RNAs sample govern their interactions with other nucleic acids, proteins, and ligands to regulate a myriad of biological processes. Although several biophysical approaches have been developed and used to study the dynamic landscape of structured RNAs, technical limitations have limited their application to all classes of RNA due to variable size and flexibility. Recent advances combining chemical probing experiments with next-generation- and direct sequencing have emerged as an alternative approach to exploring the conformational dynamics of RNA. In this review, we provide a methodological overview of the sequencing-based techniques used to study RNA conformational dynamics. We discuss how different techniques have enabled us to better understand the propensity of RNAs from a variety of different classes to sample multiple conformational states. Finally, we present examples of the ways these techniques have reshaped how we think about RNA structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Bose
- Department of Chemistry, New York University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Shengwei Xiong
- Department of Chemistry, New York University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Alisha N Jones
- Department of Chemistry, New York University, New York, New York, USA.
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9
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Fang C, Wu W, Ni Z, Liu Y, Luo J, Zhou Y, Gong C, Hu D, Yao C, Chen X, Wang L, Zhu S. Ailanthone inhibits non-small cell lung cancer growth and metastasis through targeting UPF1/GAS5/ULK1 signaling pathway. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 128:155333. [PMID: 38518633 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2023.155333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/30/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Targeting long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) is a novel and promising approach in cancer therapy. In our previous study, we investigated the effects of ailanthone (aila), the main active compound derived from the stem barks of Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle, on the growth of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells. Although we observed significant inhibition of NSCLC cell growth of aila, the underlying mechanisms involving LncRNAs, specifically LncRNA growth arrest specific 5 (GAS5), remain largely unknown. METHODS To further explore the impact of aila on NSCLC, we performed a series of experiments. Firstly, we confirmed the inhibitory effect of aila on NSCLC cell growth using multiple assays, including MTT, wound healing, transwell assay, as well as subcutaneous and metastasis tumor mice models in vivo. Next, we utilized cDNA microarray and RT-QPCR to identify GAS5 as the primary target of aila. To verify the importance of GAS5 in aila-induced tumor inhibition, we manipulated GAS5 expression levels by constructing GAS5 over-expression and knockdown NSCLC cell lines. Furthermore, we investigated the upstream and downstream signaling pathways of GAS5 through western blot and RT-QPCR analysis. RESULTS Our results showed that aila effectively increased GAS5 expression, as determined by microarray analysis. We also observed that aila significantly enhanced GAS5 expression in a dose- and time-dependent manner across various NSCLC cell lines. Notably, over-expression of GAS5 led to a significant suppression of NSCLC cell tumor growth; while aila had minimal inhibitory effect on GAS5-knockdown NSCLC cells. Additionally, we discovered that aila inhibited ULK1 and autophagy, and this inhibition was reversed by GAS5 knockdown. Moreover, we found that aila up-regulated GAS5 expression by suppressing UPF1-mediated nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD). CONCLUSION In summary, our findings suggest that aila promotes GAS5 expression by inhibiting UPF1-mediated NMD, leading to the repression of ULK1-mediated autophagy and subsequent inhibitory effects on NSCLC cells. These results indicate that aila is a potent enhancer of GAS5 and holds promising potential for application in NSCLC therapy. However, our research is currently focused only on NSCLC. It remains to be determined whether aila can also inhibit the growth of other types of tumors through the UPF1/GAS5/ULK1 signaling pathway. In future studies, we can further investigate the mechanisms by which aila suppresses other types of tumors and potentially broaden the scope of its application in cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Fang
- Department of Immunology and Pathogenic Biology, School of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenbin Wu
- Experiment Animal Center, Experiment Center for Science and Technology, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhongya Ni
- Department of Immunology and Pathogenic Biology, School of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yangli Liu
- Department of Immunology and Pathogenic Biology, School of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiaojiao Luo
- Department of Immunology and Pathogenic Biology, School of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yufu Zhou
- Department of Immunology and Pathogenic Biology, School of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Chenyuan Gong
- Department of Immunology and Pathogenic Biology, School of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Dan Hu
- School of Acupuncture, Moxibustion and Tuina, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Chao Yao
- Department of Immunology and Pathogenic Biology, School of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiao Chen
- Department of Nei Jing, School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Lixin Wang
- Department of Immunology and Pathogenic Biology, School of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Shiguo Zhu
- Department of Immunology and Pathogenic Biology, School of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
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10
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Maple R, Zhu P, Hepworth J, Wang JW, Dean C. Flowering time: From physiology, through genetics to mechanism. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 195:190-212. [PMID: 38417841 PMCID: PMC11060688 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiae109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024]
Abstract
Plant species have evolved different requirements for environmental/endogenous cues to induce flowering. Originally, these varying requirements were thought to reflect the action of different molecular mechanisms. Thinking changed when genetic and molecular analysis in Arabidopsis thaliana revealed that a network of environmental and endogenous signaling input pathways converge to regulate a common set of "floral pathway integrators." Variation in the predominance of the different input pathways within a network can generate the diversity of requirements observed in different species. Many genes identified by flowering time mutants were found to encode general developmental and gene regulators, with their targets having a specific flowering function. Studies of natural variation in flowering were more successful at identifying genes acting as nodes in the network central to adaptation and domestication. Attention has now turned to mechanistic dissection of flowering time gene function and how that has changed during adaptation. This will inform breeding strategies for climate-proof crops and help define which genes act as critical flowering nodes in many other species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Maple
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Pan Zhu
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Jo Hepworth
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, Stockton Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK
| | - Jia-Wei Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics (NKLPMG), CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences (CEMPS), Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology (SIPPE), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai 200032, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, Shanghai Tech University, Shanghai 201210, China
- New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Caroline Dean
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK
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11
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Traubenik S, Charon C, Blein T. From environmental responses to adaptation: the roles of plant lncRNAs. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 195:232-244. [PMID: 38246143 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiae034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
As sessile organisms, plants are continuously exposed to heterogeneous and changing environments and constantly need to adapt their growth strategies. They have evolved complex mechanisms to recognize various stress factors, activate appropriate signaling pathways, and respond accordingly by reprogramming the expression of multiple genes at the transcriptional, post-transcriptional, and even epigenome levels to tolerate stressful conditions such as drought, high temperature, nutrient deficiency, and pathogenic interactions. Apart from protein-coding genes, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as key players in plant adaptation to environmental stresses. They are transcripts larger than 200 nucleotides without protein-coding potential. Still, they appear to regulate a wide range of processes, including epigenetic modifications and chromatin reorganization, as well as transcriptional and post-transcriptional modulation of gene expression, allowing plant adaptation to various environmental stresses. LncRNAs can positively or negatively modulate stress responses, affecting processes such as hormone signaling, temperature tolerance, and nutrient deficiency adaptation. Moreover, they also seem to play a role in stress memory, wherein prior exposure to mild stress enhances plant ability to adapt to subsequent stressful conditions. In this review, we summarize the contribution of lncRNAs in plant adaptation to biotic and abiotic stresses, as well as stress memory. The complex evolutionary conservation of lncRNAs is also discussed and provides insights into future research directions in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soledad Traubenik
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, INRAE, Université Evry, Institute of Plant Sciences Paris-Saclay (IPS2), 91190 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, INRAE, Institute of Plant Sciences Paris-Saclay (IPS2), 91190 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Céline Charon
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, INRAE, Université Evry, Institute of Plant Sciences Paris-Saclay (IPS2), 91190 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, INRAE, Institute of Plant Sciences Paris-Saclay (IPS2), 91190 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Thomas Blein
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, INRAE, Université Evry, Institute of Plant Sciences Paris-Saclay (IPS2), 91190 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, INRAE, Institute of Plant Sciences Paris-Saclay (IPS2), 91190 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
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12
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Kajiwara T, Miyazaki M, Yamaoka S, Yoshitake Y, Yasui Y, Nishihama R, Kohchi T. Transcription of the Antisense Long Non-Coding RNA, SUPPRESSOR OF FEMINIZATION, Represses Expression of the Female-Promoting Gene FEMALE GAMETOPHYTE MYB in the Liverwort Marchantia polymorpha. PLANT & CELL PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 65:338-349. [PMID: 38174428 PMCID: PMC11020262 DOI: 10.1093/pcp/pcad170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Sexual differentiation is a fundamental process in the life cycles of land plants, ensuring successful sexual reproduction and thereby contributing to species diversity and survival. In the dioicous liverwort Marchantia polymorpha, this process is governed by an autosomal sex-differentiation locus comprising FEMALE GAMETOPHYTE MYB (FGMYB), a female-promoting gene, and SUPPRESSOR OF FEMINIZATION (SUF), an antisense strand-encoded long non-coding RNA (lncRNA). SUF is specifically transcribed in male plants and suppresses the expression of FGMYB, leading to male differentiation. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this process remain elusive. Here, we show that SUF acts through its transcription to suppress FGMYB expression. Transgene complementation analysis using CRISPR/Cas9D10A-based large-deletion mutants identified a genomic region sufficient for the sex differentiation switch function in the FGMYB-SUF locus. Inserting a transcriptional terminator sequence into the SUF-transcribed region resulted in the loss of SUF function and allowed expression of FGMYB in genetically male plants, leading to conversion of the sex phenotype from male to female. Partial deletions of SUF had no obvious impact on its function. Replacement of the FGMYB sequence with that of an unrelated gene did not affect the ability of SUF transcription to suppress sense-strand expression. Taken together, our findings suggest that the process of SUF transcription, rather than the resulting transcripts, is required for controlling sex differentiation in M. polymorpha.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomoaki Kajiwara
- Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa Oiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8502 Japan
| | - Motoki Miyazaki
- Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa Oiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8502 Japan
| | - Shohei Yamaoka
- Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa Oiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8502 Japan
| | - Yoshihiro Yoshitake
- Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa Oiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8502 Japan
| | - Yukiko Yasui
- Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa Oiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8502 Japan
| | - Ryuichi Nishihama
- Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa Oiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8502 Japan
- Department of Applied Biological Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, 2641 Yamazaki, Noda, Chiba, 278-8510 Japan
| | - Takayuki Kohchi
- Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa Oiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8502 Japan
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13
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Yadav A, Mathan J, Dubey AK, Singh A. The Emerging Role of Non-Coding RNAs (ncRNAs) in Plant Growth, Development, and Stress Response Signaling. Noncoding RNA 2024; 10:13. [PMID: 38392968 PMCID: PMC10893181 DOI: 10.3390/ncrna10010013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Plant species utilize a variety of regulatory mechanisms to ensure sustainable productivity. Within this intricate framework, numerous non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) play a crucial regulatory role in plant biology, surpassing the essential functions of RNA molecules as messengers, ribosomal, and transfer RNAs. ncRNAs represent an emerging class of regulators, operating directly in the form of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), microRNAs (miRNAs), long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs). These ncRNAs exert control at various levels, including transcription, post-transcription, translation, and epigenetic. Furthermore, they interact with each other, contributing to a variety of biological processes and mechanisms associated with stress resilience. This review primarily concentrates on the recent advancements in plant ncRNAs, delineating their functions in growth and development across various organs such as root, leaf, seed/endosperm, and seed nutrient development. Additionally, this review broadens its scope by examining the role of ncRNAs in response to environmental stresses such as drought, salt, flood, heat, and cold in plants. This compilation offers updated information and insights to guide the characterization of the potential functions of ncRNAs in plant growth, development, and stress resilience in future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amit Yadav
- Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA;
| | - Jyotirmaya Mathan
- Sashi Bhusan Rath Government Autonomous Women’s College, Brahmapur 760001, India;
| | - Arvind Kumar Dubey
- Center for Plant Science Innovation, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA;
| | - Anuradha Singh
- Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
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14
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Cai J, Zhang Y, He R, Jiang L, Qu Z, Gu J, Yang J, Legascue MF, Wang ZY, Ariel F, Adelson DL, Zhu Y, Wang D. LncRNA DANA1 promotes drought tolerance and histone deacetylation of drought responsive genes in Arabidopsis. EMBO Rep 2024; 25:796-812. [PMID: 38177920 PMCID: PMC10897447 DOI: 10.1038/s44319-023-00030-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Although many long noncoding RNAs have been discovered in plants, little is known about their biological function and mode of action. Here we show that the drought-induced long intergenic noncoding RNA DANA1 interacts with the L1p/L10e family member protein DANA1-INTERACTING PROTEIN 1 (DIP1) in the cell nucleus of Arabidopsis, and both DANA1 and DIP1 promote plant drought resistance. DANA1 and DIP1 increase histone deacetylase HDA9 binding to the CYP707A1 and CYP707A2 loci. DIP1 further interacts with PWWP3, a member of the PEAT complex that associates with HDA9 and has histone deacetylase activity. Mutation of DANA1 enhances CYP707A1 and CYP707A2 acetylation and expression resulting in impaired drought tolerance, in agreement with dip1 and pwwp3 mutant phenotypes. Our results demonstrate that DANA1 is a positive regulator of drought response and that DANA1 works jointly with the novel chromatin-related factor DIP1 on epigenetic reprogramming of the plant transcriptome during the response to drought.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Cai
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Gene Engineering in Jiangxi Province, College of Life Science, Nanchang University, 330031, Jiangxi, China
| | - Yongdi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Gene Engineering in Jiangxi Province, College of Life Science, Nanchang University, 330031, Jiangxi, China
| | - Reqing He
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Gene Engineering in Jiangxi Province, College of Life Science, Nanchang University, 330031, Jiangxi, China
| | - Liyun Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Gene Engineering in Jiangxi Province, College of Life Science, Nanchang University, 330031, Jiangxi, China
| | - Zhipeng Qu
- Department of Molecular and Biomedical Science, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, 5005, SA, Australia
| | - Jinbao Gu
- Institute of Nanfan & Seed Industry, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, 510316, Guangdong, China
| | - Jun Yang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Gene Engineering in Jiangxi Province, College of Life Science, Nanchang University, 330031, Jiangxi, China
| | - María Florencia Legascue
- Instituto de Agrobiotecnología del Litoral, CONICET, FBCB, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Colectora Ruta Nacional 168 km 0, Santa Fe, 3000, Argentina
| | - Zhen-Yu Wang
- Institute of Nanfan & Seed Industry, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, 510316, Guangdong, China
| | - Federico Ariel
- Instituto de Agrobiotecnología del Litoral, CONICET, FBCB, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Colectora Ruta Nacional 168 km 0, Santa Fe, 3000, Argentina
| | - David L Adelson
- Department of Molecular and Biomedical Science, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, 5005, SA, Australia
| | - Youlin Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Gene Engineering in Jiangxi Province, College of Life Science, Nanchang University, 330031, Jiangxi, China
| | - Dong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Gene Engineering in Jiangxi Province, College of Life Science, Nanchang University, 330031, Jiangxi, China.
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15
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Magar ND, Shah P, Barbadikar KM, Bosamia TC, Madhav MS, Mangrauthia SK, Pandey MK, Sharma S, Shanker AK, Neeraja CN, Sundaram RM. Long non-coding RNA-mediated epigenetic response for abiotic stress tolerance in plants. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY : PPB 2024; 206:108165. [PMID: 38064899 DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2023.108165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2022] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2024]
Abstract
Plants perceive environmental fluctuations as stress and confront several stresses throughout their life cycle individually or in combination. Plants have evolved their sensing and signaling mechanisms to perceive and respond to a variety of stresses. Epigenetic regulation plays a critical role in the regulation of genes, spatiotemporal expression of genes under stress conditions and imparts a stress memory to encounter future stress responses. It is quintessential to integrate our understanding of genetics and epigenetics to maintain plant fitness, achieve desired genetic gains with no trade-offs, and durable long-term stress tolerance. The long non-coding RNA >200 nts having no coding potential (or very low) play several roles in epigenetic memory, contributing to the regulation of gene expression and the maintenance of cellular identity which include chromatin remodeling, imprinting (dosage compensation), stable silencing, facilitating nuclear organization, regulation of enhancer-promoter interactions, response to environmental signals and epigenetic switching. The lncRNAs are involved in a myriad of stress responses by activation or repression of target genes and hence are potential candidates for deploying in climate-resilient breeding programs. This review puts forward the significant roles of long non-coding RNA as an epigenetic response during abiotic stresses in plants and the prospects of deploying lncRNAs for designing climate-resilient plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nakul D Magar
- Biotechnology Section, ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice Research, Hyderabad, 500030, India; Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut, 250004, India
| | - Priya Shah
- International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, Hyderabad, 502324, India
| | - Kalyani M Barbadikar
- Biotechnology Section, ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice Research, Hyderabad, 500030, India.
| | - Tejas C Bosamia
- Plant Omics Division, CSIR-Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute, Gujarat, 364002, India
| | - M Sheshu Madhav
- Biotechnology Section, ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice Research, Hyderabad, 500030, India
| | | | - Manish K Pandey
- International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, Hyderabad, 502324, India
| | - Shailendra Sharma
- Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut, 250004, India
| | - Arun K Shanker
- Plant Physiology, ICAR-Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture, Hyderabad, 500059, India
| | - C N Neeraja
- Biotechnology Section, ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice Research, Hyderabad, 500030, India
| | - R M Sundaram
- Biotechnology Section, ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice Research, Hyderabad, 500030, India
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16
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Zhou D, Zhao S, Zhou H, Chen J, Huang L. A lncRNA bra-miR156HG regulates flowering time and leaf morphology as a precursor of miR156 in Brassica campestris and Arabidopsis thaliana. PLANT SCIENCE : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PLANT BIOLOGY 2023; 337:111889. [PMID: 37805055 DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2023.111889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/09/2023]
Abstract
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are important regulators in plant growth and development. Here the function of a lncRNA fragment was studied, which was predicted as an endogenous target mimic (eTM) of miR156 in Brassica campesrtis. Unexpectedly, the transformation of this lncRNA into Arabidopsis thaliana neither inhibited the expression of miR156a nor resulted in any phenotypes that differed from the control plants (CK). The full-length sequence of the lncRNA (named bra-miR156HG) was then obtained using RACE and transferred into A. thaliana. The transgenic plants displayed a delay in flowering time, an increasing number of rosette leaves, and a changed morphology of cauline leaves, which was similar to the plants that expressed bra-miR156a. In contrast, the overexpression of bra-miR156HG in B. campestris resulted in an increased tip angle of leaves and changed the length-width ratio of leaves at different nodes, suggesting that bra-miR156HG may be involved in regulating the leaf morphology. Collectively, our study showed that bra-miR156HG functions as a precursor of bra-miR156a involved in regulating plant flowering time and leaf development under different biological backgrounds. The secondary structure of lncRNA is essential not only for the normal roles that it plays but also for expanding the functional diversities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong Zhou
- Laboratory of Cell & Molecular Biology, Institute of Vegetable Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310000, China
| | - Shengke Zhao
- Laboratory of Cell & Molecular Biology, Institute of Vegetable Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310000, China
| | - Huiyan Zhou
- Laboratory of Cell & Molecular Biology, Institute of Vegetable Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310000, China
| | - Jingwen Chen
- Laboratory of Cell & Molecular Biology, Institute of Vegetable Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310000, China
| | - Li Huang
- Laboratory of Cell & Molecular Biology, Institute of Vegetable Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310000, China.
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17
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Sabalette KB, Makarova L, Marcia M. G·U base pairing motifs in long non-coding RNAs. Biochimie 2023; 214:123-140. [PMID: 37353139 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2023.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2023]
Abstract
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are recently-discovered transcripts involved in gene expression regulation and associated with diseases. Despite the unprecedented molecular complexity of these transcripts, recent studies of the secondary and tertiary structure of lncRNAs are starting to reveal the principles of lncRNA structural organization, with important functional implications. It therefore starts to be possible to analyze lncRNA structures systematically. Here, using a set of prototypical and medically-relevant lncRNAs of known secondary structure, we specifically catalogue the distribution and structural environment of one of the first-identified and most frequently occurring non-canonical Watson-Crick interactions, the G·U base pair. We compare the properties of G·U base pairs in our set of lncRNAs to those of the G·U base pairs in other well-characterized transcripts, like rRNAs, tRNAs, ribozymes, and riboswitches. Furthermore, we discuss how G·U base pairs in these targets participate in establishing interactions with proteins or miRNAs, and how they enable lncRNA tertiary folding by forming intramolecular or metal-ion interactions. Finally, by identifying highly-G·U-enriched regions of yet unknown function in our target lncRNAs, we provide a new rationale for future experimental investigation of these motifs, which will help obtain a more comprehensive understanding of lncRNA functions and molecular mechanisms in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karina Belen Sabalette
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) Grenoble, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, Grenoble, 38042, France
| | - Liubov Makarova
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) Grenoble, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, Grenoble, 38042, France
| | - Marco Marcia
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) Grenoble, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, Grenoble, 38042, France.
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18
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Larran AS, Pajoro A, Qüesta JI. Is winter coming? Impact of the changing climate on plant responses to cold temperature. PLANT, CELL & ENVIRONMENT 2023; 46:3175-3193. [PMID: 37438895 DOI: 10.1111/pce.14669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
Climate change is causing alterations in annual temperature regimes worldwide. Important aspects of this include the reduction of winter chilling temperatures as well as the occurrence of unpredicted frosts, both significantly affecting plant growth and yields. Recent studies advanced the knowledge of the mechanisms underlying cold responses and tolerance in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. However, how these cold-responsive pathways will readjust to ongoing seasonal temperature variation caused by global warming remains an open question. In this review, we highlight the plant developmental programmes that depend on cold temperature. We focus on the molecular mechanisms that plants have evolved to adjust their development and stress responses upon exposure to cold. Covering both genetic and epigenetic aspects, we present the latest insights into how alternative splicing, noncoding RNAs and the formation of biomolecular condensates play key roles in the regulation of cold responses. We conclude by commenting on attractive targets to accelerate the breeding of increased cold tolerance, bringing up biotechnological tools that might assist in overcoming current limitations. Our aim is to guide the reflection on the current agricultural challenges imposed by a changing climate and to provide useful information for improving plant resilience to unpredictable cold regimes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alvaro Santiago Larran
- Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAG) IRTA-CSIC-UAB-UB, Campus UAB, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alice Pajoro
- National Research Council, Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology, Rome, Italy
| | - Julia I Qüesta
- Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAG) IRTA-CSIC-UAB-UB, Campus UAB, Barcelona, Spain
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19
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Domínguez-Rosas E, Hernández-Oñate MÁ, Fernandez-Valverde SL, Tiznado-Hernández ME. Plant long non-coding RNAs: identification and analysis to unveil their physiological functions. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1275399. [PMID: 38023843 PMCID: PMC10644886 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1275399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Eukaryotic genomes encode thousands of RNA molecules; however, only a minimal fraction is translated into proteins. Among the non-coding elements, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in diverse biological processes. LncRNAs are associated mainly with the regulation of the expression of the genome; nonetheless, their study has just scratched the surface. This is somewhat due to the lack of widespread conservation at the sequence level, in addition to their relatively low and highly tissue-specific expression patterns, which makes their exploration challenging, especially in plant genomes where only a few of these molecules have been described completely. Recently published high-quality genomes of crop plants, along with new computational tools, are considered promising resources for studying these molecules in plants. This review briefly summarizes the characteristics of plant lncRNAs, their presence and conservation, the different protocols to find these elements, and the limitations of these protocols. Likewise, it describes their roles in different plant physiological phenomena. We believe that the study of lncRNAs can help to design strategies to reduce the negative effect of biotic and abiotic stresses on the yield of crop plants and, in the future, help create fruits and vegetables with improved nutritional content, higher amounts of compounds with positive effects on human health, better organoleptic characteristics, and fruits with a longer postharvest shelf life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edmundo Domínguez-Rosas
- Coordinación de Tecnología de Alimentos de Origen Vegeta, Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico
| | | | | | - Martín Ernesto Tiznado-Hernández
- Coordinación de Tecnología de Alimentos de Origen Vegeta, Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico
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20
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Li W, Zhao P, Sun J, Yu X, Zou L, Li S, Di R, Ruan M, Peng M. Biological function research of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense inducible banana long noncoding RNA Malnc2310 in Arabidopsis. PLANT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2023:10.1007/s11103-023-01360-6. [PMID: 37507516 DOI: 10.1007/s11103-023-01360-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) participate in plant biological processes under biotic and abiotic stresses. However, little is known about the function and regulation mechanism of lncRNAs related to the pathogen at a molecular level. A banana lncRNA, Malnc2310, is a Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense inducible lncRNA in roots. In this study, we demonstrate the nuclear localization of Malnc2310 by fluorescence in situ hybridization and it can bind to several proteins that are related to flavonoid pathway, pathogen response and programmed cell death. Overexpression of Malnc2310 increases susceptibility to Fusarium crude extract (Fu), salinity, and cold in transgenic Arabidopsis. In addition, Malnc2310 transgenic Arabidopsis accumulated more anthocyanins under Fusarium crude extract and cold treatments that are related to upregulation of these genes involved in anthocyanin biosynthesis. Based on our findings, we propose that Malnc2310 may participate in flavonoid metabolism in plants under stress. Furthermore, phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) protein expression was enhanced in Malnc2310 overexpressed transgenic Arabidopsis, and Malnc2310 may participate in PAL regulation by binding to it. This study provides new insights into the role of Malnc2310 in mediating plant stress adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenbin Li
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Resources of Tropical Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, P.R.China / Hainan Key Laboratory of Tropical Microbe Resources, Institute of Tropical Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, China
- Hainan Key Laboratory of Conservation and Utilization of Tropical Agricultural Biological Resources, Hainan Institute for Tropical Agricultural Resources, Haikou, China
| | - Pingjuan Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Resources of Tropical Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, P.R.China / Hainan Key Laboratory of Tropical Microbe Resources, Institute of Tropical Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, China
| | - Jianbo Sun
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Resources of Tropical Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, P.R.China / Hainan Key Laboratory of Tropical Microbe Resources, Institute of Tropical Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, China
| | - Xiaoling Yu
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Resources of Tropical Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, P.R.China / Hainan Key Laboratory of Tropical Microbe Resources, Institute of Tropical Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, China
| | - Liangping Zou
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Resources of Tropical Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, P.R.China / Hainan Key Laboratory of Tropical Microbe Resources, Institute of Tropical Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, China
| | - Shuxia Li
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Resources of Tropical Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, P.R.China / Hainan Key Laboratory of Tropical Microbe Resources, Institute of Tropical Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, China
- Hainan Key Laboratory of Conservation and Utilization of Tropical Agricultural Biological Resources, Hainan Institute for Tropical Agricultural Resources, Haikou, China
| | - Rong Di
- Department of Plant Biology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, USA
| | - Mengbin Ruan
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Resources of Tropical Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, P.R.China / Hainan Key Laboratory of Tropical Microbe Resources, Institute of Tropical Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, China.
- Hainan Key Laboratory of Conservation and Utilization of Tropical Agricultural Biological Resources, Hainan Institute for Tropical Agricultural Resources, Haikou, China.
- Sanya Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Sanya, China.
| | - Ming Peng
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Resources of Tropical Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, P.R.China / Hainan Key Laboratory of Tropical Microbe Resources, Institute of Tropical Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, China.
- Sanya Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Sanya, China.
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21
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Rivas E. RNA covariation at helix-level resolution for the identification of evolutionarily conserved RNA structure. PLoS Comput Biol 2023; 19:e1011262. [PMID: 37450549 PMCID: PMC10370758 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1011262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Many biologically important RNAs fold into specific 3D structures conserved through evolution. Knowing when an RNA sequence includes a conserved RNA structure that could lead to new biology is not trivial and depends on clues left behind by conservation in the form of covariation and variation. For that purpose, the R-scape statistical test was created to identify from alignments of RNA sequences, the base pairs that significantly covary above phylogenetic expectation. R-scape treats base pairs as independent units. However, RNA base pairs do not occur in isolation. The Watson-Crick (WC) base pairs stack together forming helices that constitute the scaffold that facilitates the formation of the non-WC base pairs, and ultimately the complete 3D structure. The helix-forming WC base pairs carry most of the covariation signal in an RNA structure. Here, I introduce a new measure of statistically significant covariation at helix-level by aggregation of the covariation significance and covariation power calculated at base-pair-level resolution. Performance benchmarks show that helix-level aggregated covariation increases sensitivity in the detection of evolutionarily conserved RNA structure without sacrificing specificity. This additional helix-level sensitivity reveals an artifact that results from using covariation to build an alignment for a hypothetical structure and then testing the alignment for whether its covariation significantly supports the structure. Helix-level reanalysis of the evolutionary evidence for a selection of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) reinforces the evidence against these lncRNAs having a conserved secondary structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Rivas
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
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22
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Gao W, Yang A, Rivas E. Thirteen dubious ways to detect conserved structural RNAs. IUBMB Life 2023; 75:471-492. [PMID: 36495545 PMCID: PMC11234323 DOI: 10.1002/iub.2694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Covariation induced by compensatory base substitutions in RNA alignments is a great way to deduce conserved RNA structure, in principle. In practice, success depends on many factors, importantly the quality and depth of the alignment and the choice of covariation statistic. Measuring covariation between pairs of aligned positions is easy. However, using covariation to infer evolutionarily conserved RNA structure is complicated by other extraneous sources of covariation such as that resulting from homologous sequences having evolved from a common ancestor. In order to provide evidence of evolutionarily conserved RNA structure, a method to distinguish covariation due to sources other than RNA structure is necessary. Moreover, there are several sorts of artifactually generated covariation signals that can further confound the analysis. Additionally, some covariation signal is difficult to detect due to incomplete comparative data. Here, we investigate and critically discuss the practice of inferring conserved RNA structure by comparative sequence analysis. We provide new methods on how to approach and decide which of the numerous long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have biologically relevant structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Gao
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Ann Yang
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Elena Rivas
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
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23
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Mattick JS, Amaral PP, Carninci P, Carpenter S, Chang HY, Chen LL, Chen R, Dean C, Dinger ME, Fitzgerald KA, Gingeras TR, Guttman M, Hirose T, Huarte M, Johnson R, Kanduri C, Kapranov P, Lawrence JB, Lee JT, Mendell JT, Mercer TR, Moore KJ, Nakagawa S, Rinn JL, Spector DL, Ulitsky I, Wan Y, Wilusz JE, Wu M. Long non-coding RNAs: definitions, functions, challenges and recommendations. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2023; 24:430-447. [PMID: 36596869 PMCID: PMC10213152 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-022-00566-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 948] [Impact Index Per Article: 474.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Genes specifying long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) occupy a large fraction of the genomes of complex organisms. The term 'lncRNAs' encompasses RNA polymerase I (Pol I), Pol II and Pol III transcribed RNAs, and RNAs from processed introns. The various functions of lncRNAs and their many isoforms and interleaved relationships with other genes make lncRNA classification and annotation difficult. Most lncRNAs evolve more rapidly than protein-coding sequences, are cell type specific and regulate many aspects of cell differentiation and development and other physiological processes. Many lncRNAs associate with chromatin-modifying complexes, are transcribed from enhancers and nucleate phase separation of nuclear condensates and domains, indicating an intimate link between lncRNA expression and the spatial control of gene expression during development. lncRNAs also have important roles in the cytoplasm and beyond, including in the regulation of translation, metabolism and signalling. lncRNAs often have a modular structure and are rich in repeats, which are increasingly being shown to be relevant to their function. In this Consensus Statement, we address the definition and nomenclature of lncRNAs and their conservation, expression, phenotypic visibility, structure and functions. We also discuss research challenges and provide recommendations to advance the understanding of the roles of lncRNAs in development, cell biology and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- John S Mattick
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
- UNSW RNA Institute, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
| | - Paulo P Amaral
- INSPER Institute of Education and Research, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Piero Carninci
- RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan
- Human Technopole, Milan, Italy
| | - Susan Carpenter
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Howard Y Chang
- Center for Personal Dynamics Regulomes, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Dermatology, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Ling-Ling Chen
- CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Runsheng Chen
- Key Laboratory of RNA Biology, Center for Big Data Research in Health, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Caroline Dean
- John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Marcel E Dinger
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- UNSW RNA Institute, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Katherine A Fitzgerald
- Division of Innate Immunity, Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | | | - Mitchell Guttman
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Tetsuro Hirose
- Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Maite Huarte
- Department of Gene Therapy and Regulation of Gene Expression, Center for Applied Medical Research, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- Institute of Health Research of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Rory Johnson
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Conway Institute for Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Chandrasekhar Kanduri
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Philipp Kapranov
- Institute of Genomics, School of Medicine, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, China
| | - Jeanne B Lawrence
- Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Jeannie T Lee
- Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Joshua T Mendell
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Timothy R Mercer
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Kathryn J Moore
- Department of Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Shinichi Nakagawa
- RNA Biology Laboratory, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - John L Rinn
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - David L Spector
- Cold Spring Harbour Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbour, NY, USA
| | - Igor Ulitsky
- Department of Biological Regulation, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Yue Wan
- Laboratory of RNA Genomics and Structure, Genome Institute of Singapore, A*STAR, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Biochemistry, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jeremy E Wilusz
- Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Therapeutic Innovation Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Mian Wu
- Translational Research Institute, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Academy of Medical Science, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
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24
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Palos K, Yu L, Railey CE, Nelson Dittrich AC, Nelson ADL. Linking discoveries, mechanisms, and technologies to develop a clearer perspective on plant long noncoding RNAs. THE PLANT CELL 2023; 35:1762-1786. [PMID: 36738093 PMCID: PMC10226578 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koad027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a large and diverse class of genes in eukaryotic genomes that contribute to a variety of regulatory processes. Functionally characterized lncRNAs play critical roles in plants, ranging from regulating flowering to controlling lateral root formation. However, findings from the past decade have revealed that thousands of lncRNAs are present in plant transcriptomes, and characterization has lagged far behind identification. In this setting, distinguishing function from noise is challenging. However, the plant community has been at the forefront of discovery in lncRNA biology, providing many functional and mechanistic insights that have increased our understanding of this gene class. In this review, we examine the key discoveries and insights made in plant lncRNA biology over the past two and a half decades. We describe how discoveries made in the pregenomics era have informed efforts to identify and functionally characterize lncRNAs in the subsequent decades. We provide an overview of the functional archetypes into which characterized plant lncRNAs fit and speculate on new avenues of research that may uncover yet more archetypes. Finally, this review discusses the challenges facing the field and some exciting new molecular and computational approaches that may help inform lncRNA comparative and functional analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle Palos
- Boyce Thompson Institute, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Li’ang Yu
- Boyce Thompson Institute, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Caylyn E Railey
- Boyce Thompson Institute, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
- Plant Biology Graduate Field, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
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25
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Assmann SM, Chou HL, Bevilacqua PC. Rock, scissors, paper: How RNA structure informs function. THE PLANT CELL 2023; 35:1671-1707. [PMID: 36747354 PMCID: PMC10226581 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koad026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Revised: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
RNA can fold back on itself to adopt a wide range of structures. These range from relatively simple hairpins to intricate 3D folds and can be accompanied by regulatory interactions with both metabolites and macromolecules. The last 50 yr have witnessed elucidation of an astonishing array of RNA structures including transfer RNAs, ribozymes, riboswitches, the ribosome, the spliceosome, and most recently entire RNA structuromes. These advances in RNA structural biology have deepened insight into fundamental biological processes including gene editing, transcription, translation, and structure-based detection and response to temperature and other environmental signals. These discoveries reveal that RNA can be relatively static, like a rock; that it can have catalytic functions of cutting bonds, like scissors; and that it can adopt myriad functional shapes, like paper. We relate these extraordinary discoveries in the biology of RNA structure to the plant way of life. We trace plant-specific discovery of ribozymes and riboswitches, alternative splicing, organellar ribosomes, thermometers, whole-transcriptome structuromes and pan-structuromes, and conclude that plants have a special set of RNA structures that confer unique types of gene regulation. We finish with a consideration of future directions for the RNA structure-function field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah M Assmann
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
- Center for RNA Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Hong-Li Chou
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Philip C Bevilacqua
- Center for RNA Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
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26
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Manavella PA, Godoy Herz MA, Kornblihtt AR, Sorenson R, Sieburth LE, Nakaminami K, Seki M, Ding Y, Sun Q, Kang H, Ariel FD, Crespi M, Giudicatti AJ, Cai Q, Jin H, Feng X, Qi Y, Pikaard CS. Beyond transcription: compelling open questions in plant RNA biology. THE PLANT CELL 2023; 35:1626-1653. [PMID: 36477566 PMCID: PMC10226580 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koac346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
The study of RNAs has become one of the most influential research fields in contemporary biology and biomedicine. In the last few years, new sequencing technologies have produced an explosion of new and exciting discoveries in the field but have also given rise to many open questions. Defining these questions, together with old, long-standing gaps in our knowledge, is the spirit of this article. The breadth of topics within RNA biology research is vast, and every aspect of the biology of these molecules contains countless exciting open questions. Here, we asked 12 groups to discuss their most compelling question among some plant RNA biology topics. The following vignettes cover RNA alternative splicing; RNA dynamics; RNA translation; RNA structures; R-loops; epitranscriptomics; long non-coding RNAs; small RNA production and their functions in crops; small RNAs during gametogenesis and in cross-kingdom RNA interference; and RNA-directed DNA methylation. In each section, we will present the current state-of-the-art in plant RNA biology research before asking the questions that will surely motivate future discoveries in the field. We hope this article will spark a debate about the future perspective on RNA biology and provoke novel reflections in the reader.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo A Manavella
- Instituto de Agrobiotecnología del Litoral (CONICET-UNL), Cátedra de Biología Celular y Molecular, Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santa Fe 3000, Argentina
| | - Micaela A Godoy Herz
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Departamento de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Celular and CONICET-UBA, Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias (IFIBYNE), Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA), Buenos Aires C1428EHA, Argentina
| | - Alberto R Kornblihtt
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Departamento de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Celular and CONICET-UBA, Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias (IFIBYNE), Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA), Buenos Aires C1428EHA, Argentina
| | - Reed Sorenson
- School of Biological Sciences, University of UtahSalt Lake City 84112, USA
| | - Leslie E Sieburth
- School of Biological Sciences, University of UtahSalt Lake City 84112, USA
| | - Kentaro Nakaminami
- Center for Sustainable Resource Science, RIKEN, Kanagawa 230-0045, Japan
| | - Motoaki Seki
- Center for Sustainable Resource Science, RIKEN, Kanagawa 230-0045, Japan
- Cluster for Pioneering Research, RIKEN, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
- Kihara Institute for Biological Research, Yokohama City University, Kanagawa 244-0813, Japan
| | - Yiliang Ding
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Qianwen Sun
- Center for Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Hunseung Kang
- Department of Applied Biology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Korea
| | - Federico D Ariel
- Instituto de Agrobiotecnología del Litoral (CONICET-UNL), Cátedra de Biología Celular y Molecular, Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santa Fe 3000, Argentina
| | - Martin Crespi
- Institute of Plant Sciences Paris Saclay IPS2, CNRS, INRA, Université Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, Bâtiment 630, Orsay 91405, France
- Institute of Plant Sciences Paris-Saclay IPS2, Université de Paris, Bâtiment 630, Orsay 91405, France
| | - Axel J Giudicatti
- Instituto de Agrobiotecnología del Litoral (CONICET-UNL), Cátedra de Biología Celular y Molecular, Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santa Fe 3000, Argentina
| | - Qiang Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, College of Life Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Hailing Jin
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology and Center for Plant Cell Biology, Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, University of California, Riverside, California 92507, USA
| | - Xiaoqi Feng
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Yijun Qi
- Center for Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Craig S Pikaard
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, USA
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, USA
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27
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Rivas E. RNA covariation at helix-level resolution for the identification of evolutionarily conserved RNA structure. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.14.536965. [PMID: 37131783 PMCID: PMC10153129 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.14.536965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Many biologically important RNAs fold into specific 3D structures conserved through evolution. Knowing when an RNA sequence includes a conserved RNA structure that could lead to new biology is not trivial and depends on clues left behind by conservation in the form of covariation and variation. For that purpose, the R-scape statistical test was created to identify from alignments of RNA sequences, the base pairs that significantly covary above phylogenetic expectation. R-scape treats base pairs as independent units. However, RNA base pairs do not occur in isolation. The Watson-Crick (WC) base pairs stack together forming helices that constitute the scaffold that facilitates the formation of the non-WC base pairs, and ultimately the complete 3D structure. The helix-forming WC base pairs carry most of the covariation signal in an RNA structure. Here, I introduce a new measure of statistically significant covariation at helix-level by aggregation of the covariation significance and covariation power calculated at base-pair-level resolution. Performance benchmarks show that helix-level aggregated covariation increases sensitivity in the detection of evolutionarily conserved RNA structure without sacrificing specificity. This additional helix-level sensitivity reveals an artifact that results from using covariation to build an alignment for a hypothetical structure and then testing the alignment for whether its covariation significantly supports the structure. Helix-level reanalysis of the evolutionary evidence for a selection of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) reinforces the evidence against these lncRNAs having a conserved secondary structure. Availability Helix aggregated E-values are integrated in the R-scape software package (version 2.0.0.p and higher). The R-scape web server eddylab.org/R-scape includes a link to download the source code. Contact elenarivas@fas.harvard.edu. Supplementary information Supplementary data and code are provided with this manuscript at rivaslab.org .
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28
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Gullotta G, Korte A, Marquardt S. Functional variation in the non-coding genome: molecular implications for food security. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2023; 74:2338-2351. [PMID: 36316269 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erac395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The growing world population, in combination with the anticipated effects of climate change, is pressuring food security. Plants display an impressive arsenal of cellular mechanisms conferring resilience to adverse environmental conditions, and humans rely on these mechanisms for stable food production. The elucidation of the molecular basis of the mechanisms used by plants to achieve resilience promises knowledge-based approaches to enhance food security. DNA sequence polymorphisms can reveal genomic regions that are linked to beneficial traits of plants. However, our ability to interpret how a given DNA sequence polymorphism confers a fitness advantage at the molecular level often remains poor. A key factor is that these polymorphisms largely localize to the enigmatic non-coding genome. Here, we review the functional impact of sequence variations in the non-coding genome on plant biology in the context of crop breeding and agricultural traits. We focus on examples of non-coding with particularly convincing functional support. Our survey combines findings that are consistent with the view that the non-coding genome contributes to cellular mechanisms assisting many plant traits. Understanding how DNA sequence polymorphisms in the non-coding genome shape plant traits at the molecular level offers a largely unexplored reservoir of solutions to address future challenges in plant growth and resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgio Gullotta
- Copenhagen Plant Science Centre, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Bülowsvej 21A, 1871 Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Arthur Korte
- Center for Computational and Theoretical Biology, University of Würzburg, Hubland Nord 32, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Sebastian Marquardt
- Copenhagen Plant Science Centre, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Bülowsvej 21A, 1871 Frederiksberg, Denmark
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29
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Dai Y, Li G, Gao X, Wang S, Li Z, Song C, Zhang S, Li F, Fang Z, Sun R, Zhang H, Zhang S. Identification of long noncoding RNAs involved in plumule-vernalization of Chinese cabbage. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1147494. [PMID: 36998688 PMCID: PMC10043383 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1147494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Vernalization is a phenomenon in which plants must undergo a period of continuous low temperatures to change from the vegetative growth stage to the reproductive growth stage. Chinese cabbage is a heading vegetable, and flowering time is an essential developmental trait. Premature vernalization leads to premature bolting, which causes a loss of product value and yield. While research into vernalization has provided a wealth of information, a complete understanding of the molecular mechanism for controlling vernalization requirements has not yet been elucidated. In this study, using high-throughput RNA sequencing, we analyzed the plumule-vernalization response of mRNA and long noncoding RNA in the bolting-resistant Chinese cabbage double haploid (DH) line 'Ju Hongxin' (JHX). A total of 3382 lncRNAs were identified, of which 1553 differentially expressed (DE) lncRNAs were characterized as plumule-vernalization responses. The ceRNA network revealed that 280 ceRNA pairs participated in the plumule-vernalization reaction of Chinese cabbage. Through identifying DE lncRNAs in Chinese cabbage and analyzing anti-, cis-, and trans-functional analysis, some candidate lncRNAs related to vernalization promoting flowering of Chinese cabbage and their regulated mRNA genes were found. Moreover, the expression of several critical lncRNAs and their targets was verified using qRT-PCR. Furthermore, we identified the candidate plumule-vernalization-related long noncoding RNAs that regulate BrFLCs in Chinese cabbage, which was interesting and different from previous studies and was a new discovery. Our findings expand the knowledge of lncRNAs in the vernalization of Chinese cabbage, and the identified lncRNAs provide rich resources for future comparative and functional studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Dai
- Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetable Biobreeding, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Guoliang Li
- Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetable Biobreeding, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xinyu Gao
- Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetable Biobreeding, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Shaoxing Wang
- Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetable Biobreeding, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ze Li
- Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetable Biobreeding, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chao Song
- Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetable Biobreeding, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Shifan Zhang
- Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetable Biobreeding, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Fei Li
- Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetable Biobreeding, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhiyuan Fang
- Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetable Biobreeding, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Rifei Sun
- Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetable Biobreeding, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hui Zhang
- Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetable Biobreeding, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Shujiang Zhang
- Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetable Biobreeding, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
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30
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Mattick JS. RNA out of the mist. Trends Genet 2023; 39:187-207. [PMID: 36528415 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2022.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
RNA has long been regarded primarily as the intermediate between genes and proteins. It was a surprise then to discover that eukaryotic genes are mosaics of mRNA sequences interrupted by large tracts of transcribed but untranslated sequences, and that multicellular organisms also express many long 'intergenic' and antisense noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). The identification of small RNAs that regulate mRNA translation and half-life did not disturb the prevailing view that animals and plant genomes are full of evolutionary debris and that their development is mainly supervised by transcription factors. Gathering evidence to the contrary involved addressing the low conservation, expression, and genetic visibility of lncRNAs, demonstrating their cell-specific roles in cell and developmental biology, and their association with chromatin-modifying complexes and phase-separated domains. The emerging picture is that most lncRNAs are the products of genetic loci termed 'enhancers', which marshal generic effector proteins to their sites of action to control cell fate decisions during development.
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Affiliation(s)
- John S Mattick
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, UNSW, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia; UNSW RNA Institute, UNSW, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
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31
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Long Non-Coding RNAs of Plants in Response to Abiotic Stresses and Their Regulating Roles in Promoting Environmental Adaption. Cells 2023; 12:cells12050729. [PMID: 36899864 PMCID: PMC10001313 DOI: 10.3390/cells12050729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Abiotic stresses triggered by climate change and human activity cause substantial agricultural and environmental problems which hamper plant growth. Plants have evolved sophisticated mechanisms in response to abiotic stresses, such as stress perception, epigenetic modification, and regulation of transcription and translation. Over the past decade, a large body of literature has revealed the various regulatory roles of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the plant response to abiotic stresses and their irreplaceable functions in environmental adaptation. LncRNAs are recognized as a class of ncRNAs that are longer than 200 nucleotides, influencing a variety of biological processes. In this review, we mainly focused on the recent progress of plant lncRNAs, outlining their features, evolution, and functions of plant lncRNAs in response to drought, low or high temperature, salt, and heavy metal stress. The approaches to characterize the function of lncRNAs and the mechanisms of how they regulate plant responses to abiotic stresses were further reviewed. Moreover, we discuss the accumulating discoveries regarding the biological functions of lncRNAs on plant stress memory as well. The present review provides updated information and directions for us to characterize the potential functions of lncRNAs in abiotic stresses in the future.
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32
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Prall W, Gregory BD. The fold makes all the difference in COOLAIR-mediated regulation of plant flowering time. Dev Cell 2022; 57:2254-2256. [DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2022.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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33
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Yang M, Zhu P, Cheema J, Bloomer R, Mikulski P, Liu Q, Zhang Y, Dean C, Ding Y. In vivo single-molecule analysis reveals COOLAIR RNA structural diversity. Nature 2022; 609:394-399. [PMID: 35978193 PMCID: PMC9452300 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-05135-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Cellular RNAs are heterogeneous with respect to their alternative processing and secondary structures, but the functional importance of this complexity is still poorly understood. A set of alternatively processed antisense non-coding transcripts, which are collectively called COOLAIR, are generated at the Arabidopsis floral-repressor locus FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC)1. Different isoforms of COOLAIR influence FLC transcriptional output in warm and cold conditions2-7. Here, to further investigate the function of COOLAIR, we developed an RNA structure-profiling method to determine the in vivo structure of single RNA molecules rather than the RNA population average. This revealed that individual isoforms of the COOLAIR transcript adopt multiple structures with different conformational dynamics. The major distally polyadenylated COOLAIR isoform in warm conditions adopts three predominant structural conformations, the proportions and conformations of which change after cold exposure. An alternatively spliced, strongly cold-upregulated distal COOLAIR isoform6 shows high structural diversity, in contrast to proximally polyadenylated COOLAIR. A hyper-variable COOLAIR structural element was identified that was complementary to the FLC transcription start site. Mutations altering the structure of this region changed FLC expression and flowering time, consistent with an important regulatory role of the COOLAIR structure in FLC transcription. Our work demonstrates that isoforms of non-coding RNA transcripts adopt multiple distinct and functionally relevant structural conformations, which change in abundance and shape in response to external conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minglei Yang
- John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Pan Zhu
- John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | | | | | | | - Qi Liu
- John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Yueying Zhang
- John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Caroline Dean
- John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK.
| | - Yiliang Ding
- John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK.
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34
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Nadhan R, Isidoro C, Song YS, Dhanasekaran DN. Signaling by LncRNAs: Structure, Cellular Homeostasis, and Disease Pathology. Cells 2022; 11:2517. [PMID: 36010595 PMCID: PMC9406440 DOI: 10.3390/cells11162517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Revised: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The cellular signaling network involves co-ordinated regulation of numerous signaling molecules that aid the maintenance of cellular as well as organismal homeostasis. Aberrant signaling plays a major role in the pathophysiology of many diseases. Recent studies have unraveled the superfamily of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) as critical signaling nodes in diverse signaling networks. Defective signaling by lncRNAs is emerging as a causative factor underlying the pathophysiology of many diseases. LncRNAs have been shown to be involved in the multiplexed regulation of diverse pathways through both genetic and epigenetic mechanisms. They can serve as decoys, guides, scaffolds, and effector molecules to regulate cell signaling. In comparison with the other classes of RNAs, lncRNAs possess unique structural modifications that contribute to their diversity in modes of action within the nucleus and cytoplasm. In this review, we summarize the structure and function of lncRNAs as well as their vivid mechanisms of action. Further, we provide insights into the role of lncRNAs in the pathogenesis of four major disease paradigms, namely cardiovascular diseases, neurological disorders, cancers, and the metabolic disease, diabetes mellitus. This review serves as a succinct treatise that could open windows to investigate the role of lncRNAs as novel therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Revathy Nadhan
- Stephenson Cancer Center, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Ciro Isidoro
- Laboratory of Molecular Pathology and NanoBioImaging, Department of Health Sciences, Università del Piemonte Orientale, Via Solaroli 17, 28100 Novara, Italy
| | - Yong Sang Song
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cancer Research Institute, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-921, Korea
| | - Danny N. Dhanasekaran
- Stephenson Cancer Center, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
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35
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Xu B, Zhu Y, Cao C, Chen H, Jin Q, Li G, Ma J, Yang SL, Zhao J, Zhu J, Ding Y, Fang X, Jin Y, Kwok CK, Ren A, Wan Y, Wang Z, Xue Y, Zhang H, Zhang QC, Zhou Y. Recent advances in RNA structurome. SCIENCE CHINA. LIFE SCIENCES 2022; 65:1285-1324. [PMID: 35717434 PMCID: PMC9206424 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-021-2116-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
RNA structures are essential to support RNA functions and regulation in various biological processes. Recently, a range of novel technologies have been developed to decode genome-wide RNA structures and novel modes of functionality across a wide range of species. In this review, we summarize key strategies for probing the RNA structurome and discuss the pros and cons of representative technologies. In particular, these new technologies have been applied to dissect the structural landscape of the SARS-CoV-2 RNA genome. We also summarize the functionalities of RNA structures discovered in different regulatory layers-including RNA processing, transport, localization, and mRNA translation-across viruses, bacteria, animals, and plants. We review many versatile RNA structural elements in the context of different physiological and pathological processes (e.g., cell differentiation, stress response, and viral replication). Finally, we discuss future prospects for RNA structural studies to map the RNA structurome at higher resolution and at the single-molecule and single-cell level, and to decipher novel modes of RNA structures and functions for innovative applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingbing Xu
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Yanda Zhu
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Changchang Cao
- Key Laboratory of RNA Biology, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Hao Chen
- Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Qiongli Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Guangnan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Junfeng Ma
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Siwy Ling Yang
- Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Genome Institute of Singapore, A*STAR, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jieyu Zhao
- Department of Chemistry, and State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Jianghui Zhu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology and Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Yiliang Ding
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH, United Kingdom.
| | - Xianyang Fang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
| | - Yongfeng Jin
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
| | - Chun Kit Kwok
- Department of Chemistry, and State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
- Shenzhen Research Institute of City University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, 518057, China.
| | - Aiming Ren
- Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
| | - Yue Wan
- Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Genome Institute of Singapore, A*STAR, Singapore, Singapore.
| | - Zhiye Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
| | - Yuanchao Xue
- Key Laboratory of RNA Biology, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
| | - Huakun Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of the Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China.
| | - Qiangfeng Cliff Zhang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology and Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing, 100084, China.
| | - Yu Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China.
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Ross CJ, Ulitsky I. Discovering functional motifs in long noncoding RNAs. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. RNA 2022; 13:e1708. [PMID: 34981665 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 12/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are products of pervasive transcription that closely resemble messenger RNAs on the molecular level, yet function through largely unknown modes of action. The current model is that the function of lncRNAs often relies on specific, typically short, conserved elements, connected by linkers in which specific sequences and/or structures are less important. This notion has fueled the development of both computational and experimental methods focused on the discovery of functional elements within lncRNA genes, based on diverse signals such as evolutionary conservation, predicted structural elements, or the ability to rescue loss-of-function phenotypes. In this review, we outline the main challenges that the different methods need to overcome, describe the recently developed approaches, and discuss their respective limitations. This article is categorized under: RNA Evolution and Genomics > Computational Analyses of RNA RNA Interactions with Proteins and Other Molecules > Protein-RNA Interactions: Functional Implications Regulatory RNAs/RNAi/Riboswitches > Regulatory RNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Jane Ross
- Biological Regulation and Molecular Neuroscience, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Igor Ulitsky
- Biological Regulation and Molecular Neuroscience, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
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37
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Sanbonmatsu K. Getting to the bottom of lncRNA mechanism: structure-function relationships. Mamm Genome 2022; 33:343-353. [PMID: 34642784 PMCID: PMC8509902 DOI: 10.1007/s00335-021-09924-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
While long non-coding RNAs are known to play key roles in disease and development, relatively few structural studies have been performed for this important class of RNAs. Here, we review functional studies of long non-coding RNAs and expose the need for high-resolution 3-D structural studies, discussing the roles of long non-coding RNAs in the cell and how structure-function relationships might be used to elucidate further understanding. We then describe structural studies of other classes of RNAs using chemical probing, nuclear magnetic resonance, small-angle X-ray scattering, X-ray crystallography, and cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM). Next, we review early structural studies of long non-coding RNAs to date and describe the way forward for the structural biology of long non-coding RNAs in terms of cryo-EM.
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38
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Jin Q, Zhang L, Hu S, Wei G, Wang Z. Probing in vivo RNA Structure With Optimized DMS-MaPseq in Rice. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:869267. [PMID: 35432393 PMCID: PMC9009289 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.869267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
RNA transcripts form various secondary and tertiary structures that have a wide range of regulatory functions. Several methods have been developed to profile in vivo RNA secondary structure in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. These methods, such as dimethyl sulfate (DMS) mutational profiling with high-throughput sequencing (DMS-MaPseq), couple small chemical-mediated RNA modifications with next-generation sequencing. DMS-MaPseq, a powerful method for genome-wide and target-specific RNA secondary structure profiling, has been applied in yeast, mammals, Drosophila, and Arabidopsis thaliana, but not in crops. Here, we used DMS-MaPseq to conduct a target-specific and genome-wide profile of in vivo RNA secondary structure in rice (Oryza sativa). The DMS treatment conditions were optimized for rice leaf and root tissues. To increase the sequencing depth and coverage of low-abundance transcripts in genome-wide DMS-MaPseq, we used streptavidin-biotin depletion to reduce the abundance of highly expressed chloroplast transcripts during library construction. The resulting target-specific and genome-wide rice DMS-MaPseq data were of high quality and reproducibility. Furthermore, we used DMS-MaPseq to profile the in vivo RNA secondary structure of an OsmiR399 target region located at 5'UTR of OsPHO2, which participates in rice phosphate homeostasis. An unfolded RNA structure downstream of miRNA target site was observed in predicted in vivo RNA secondary structure, reminiscence of the TAM (Target Adjacent nucleotide Motif) involved in mRNA structure-mediated regulation in miRNA cleavage. Our study optimized DMS-MaPseq for probing in vivo RNA secondary structure in rice, facilitating the study of RNA structure-mediated regulations in crops.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Zhiye Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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39
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Chen L, Zhu QH. The evolutionary landscape and expression pattern of plant lincRNAs. RNA Biol 2022; 19:1190-1207. [PMID: 36382947 PMCID: PMC9673970 DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2022.2144609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Long intergenic non-coding RNAs (lincRNAs) are important regulators of cellular processes, including development and stress response. Many lincRNAs have been bioinformatically identified in plants, but their evolutionary dynamics and expression characteristics are still elusive. Here, we systematically identified thousands of lincRNAs in 26 plant species, including 6 non-flowering plants, investigated the conservation of the identified lincRNAs in different levels of plant lineages based on sequence and/or synteny homology and explored characteristics of the conserved lincRNAs during plant evolution and their co-expression relationship with protein-coding genes (PCGs). In addition to confirmation of the features well documented in literature for lincRNAs, such as species-specific, fewer exons, tissue-specific expression patterns and less abundantly expressed, we revealed that histone modification signals and/or binding sites of transcription factors were enriched in the conserved lincRNAs, implying their biological functionalities, as demonstrated by identifying conserved lincRNAs related to flower development in both the Brassicaceae and grass families and ancient lincRNAs potentially functioning in meristem development of non-flowering plants. Compared to PCGs, lincRNAs are more likely to be associated with transposable elements (TEs), but with different characteristics in different evolutionary lineages, for instance, the types of TEs and the variable level of association in lincRNAs with different conservativeness. Together, these results provide a comprehensive view on the evolutionary landscape of plant lincRNAs and shed new insights on the conservation and functionality of plant lincRNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Chen
- School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
- Institute for Biology, Plant Cell and Molecular Biology, Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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40
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Zhang Z, Guo J, Cai X, Li Y, Xi X, Lin R, Liang J, Wang X, Wu J. Improved Reference Genome Annotation of Brassica rapa by Pacific Biosciences RNA Sequencing. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:841618. [PMID: 35371168 PMCID: PMC8968949 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.841618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
The species Brassica rapa includes several important vegetable crops. The draft reference genome of B. rapa ssp. pekinensis was completed in 2011, and it has since been updated twice. The pangenome with structural variations of 18 B. rapa accessions was published in 2021. Although extensive genomic analysis has been conducted on B. rapa, a comprehensive genome annotation including gene structure, alternative splicing (AS) events, and non-coding genes is still lacking. Therefore, we used the Pacific Biosciences (PacBio) single-molecular long-read technology to improve gene models and produced the annotated genome version 3.5. In total, we obtained 753,041 full-length non-chimeric (FLNC) reads and collapsed these into 92,810 non-redundant consensus isoforms, capturing 48% of the genes annotated in the B. rapa reference genome annotation v3.1. Based on the isoform data, we identified 830 novel protein-coding genes that were missed in previous genome annotations, defined the untranslated regions (UTRs) of 20,340 annotated genes and corrected 886 wrongly spliced genes. We also identified 28,564 AS events and 1,480 long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). We produced a relatively complete and high-quality reference transcriptome for B. rapa that can facilitate further functional genomic research.
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41
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Ghorbani F, Abolghasemi R, Haghighi M, Etemadi N, Wang S, Karimi M, Soorni A. Global identification of long non-coding RNAs involved in the induction of spinach flowering. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:704. [PMID: 34587906 PMCID: PMC8482690 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-07989-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Spinach is a beneficial annual vegetable species and sensitive to the bolting or early flowering, which causes a large reduction in quality and productivity. Indeed, bolting is an event induced by the coordinated effects of various environmental factors and endogenous genetic components. Although some key flowering responsive genes have been identified in spinach, non-coding RNA molecules like long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) were not investigated yet. Herein, we used bioinformatic approaches to analyze the transcriptome datasets from two different accessions Viroflay and Kashan at two vegetative and reproductive stages to reveal novel lncRNAs and the construction of the lncRNA-mRNA co-expression network. Additionally, correlations among gene expression modules and phenotypic traits were investigated; day to flowering was chosen as our interesting trait. Results In the present study, we identified a total of 1141 lncRNAs, of which 111 were differentially expressed between vegetative and reproductive stages. The GO and KEGG analyses carried out on the cis target gene of lncRNAs showed that the lncRNAs play an important role in the regulation of flowering spinach. Network analysis pinpointed several well-known flowering-related genes such as ELF, COL1, FLT, and FPF1 and also some putative TFs like MYB, WRKY, GATA, and MADS-box that are important regulators of flowering in spinach and could be potential targets for lncRNAs. Conclusions This study is the first report on identifying bolting and flowering-related lncRNAs based on transcriptome sequencing in spinach, which provides a useful resource for future functional genomics studies, genes expression researches, evaluating genes regulatory networks and molecular breeding programs in the regulation of the genetic mechanisms related to bolting in spinach. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-021-07989-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatemeh Ghorbani
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Reza Abolghasemi
- Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Maryam Haghighi
- Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Nematollah Etemadi
- Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Shui Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Marzieh Karimi
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran.,Department of Plant Breeding and Biotechnology, College of Agriculture, University of Shahrekord, Shahrekord, Iran
| | - Aboozar Soorni
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran.
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42
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Jampala P, Garhewal A, Lodha M. Functions of long non-coding RNA in Arabidopsis thaliana. PLANT SIGNALING & BEHAVIOR 2021; 16:1925440. [PMID: 33980126 PMCID: PMC8281000 DOI: 10.1080/15592324.2021.1925440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
A major part of the eukaryotic genome is transcribed into non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) having no protein coding potential. ncRNAs which are longer than 200 nucleotides are categorized as long non coding RNAs (lncRNAs). Most lncRNAs are induced as a consequence of various environmental and developmental cues. Among plants, the functions of lncRNAs are best studied in Arabidopsis thaliana. In this review, we highlight the important functional roles of various lncRNAs during different stages of Arabidopsis life cycle and their response to environmental changes. These lncRNAs primarily govern processes such as flowering, seed germination, stress response, light- and auxin-regulated development, and RNA-dependent DNA methylation (RdDM). Major challenge is to differentiate between functional and cryptic transcripts. Genome editing, large scale RNAi and computational approaches may help to identify and characterize novel functional lncRNAs in Arabidopsis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Preethi Jampala
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, India
| | | | - Mukesh Lodha
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, India
- CONTACT Mukesh Lodha CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Uppal Road, Habsiguda500007, India
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43
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Verstraeten B, Atighi MR, Ruiz-Ferrer V, Escobar C, De Meyer T, Kyndt T. Non-coding RNAs in the interaction between rice and Meloidogyne graminicola. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:560. [PMID: 34284724 PMCID: PMC8293575 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-07735-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Root knot nematodes (RKN) are plant parasitic nematodes causing major yield losses of widely consumed food crops such as rice (Oryza sativa). Because non-coding RNAs, including small interfering RNAs (siRNA), microRNAs (miRNAs) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), are key regulators of various plant processes, elucidating their regulation during this interaction may lead to new strategies to improve crop protection. In this study, we aimed to identify and characterize rice siRNAs, miRNAs and lncRNAs responsive to early infection with RKN Meloidogyne graminicola (Mg), based on sequencing of small RNA, degradome and total RNA libraries from rice gall tissues compared with uninfected root tissues. Results We found 425 lncRNAs, 3739 siRNAs and 16 miRNAs to be differentially expressed between both tissues, of which a subset was independently validated with RT-qPCR. Functional prediction of the lncRNAs indicates that a large part of their potential target genes code for serine/threonine protein kinases and transcription factors. Differentially expressed siRNAs have a predominant size of 24 nts, suggesting a role in DNA methylation. Differentially expressed miRNAs are generally downregulated and target transcription factors, which show reduced degradation according to the degradome data. Conclusions To our knowledge, this work is the first to focus on small and long non-coding RNAs in the interaction between rice and Mg, and provides an overview of rice non-coding RNAs with the potential to be used as a resource for the development of new crop protection strategies. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-021-07735-7.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Virginia Ruiz-Ferrer
- Department of Environmental Science, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Toledo, Spain
| | - Carolina Escobar
- Department of Environmental Science, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Toledo, Spain
| | - Tim De Meyer
- Department of Data Analysis & Mathematical Modelling, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Tina Kyndt
- Department of Biotechnology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
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Wang XW, Liu CX, Chen LL, Zhang QC. RNA structure probing uncovers RNA structure-dependent biological functions. Nat Chem Biol 2021; 17:755-766. [PMID: 34172967 DOI: 10.1038/s41589-021-00805-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
RNA molecules fold into complex structures that enable their diverse functions in cells. Recent revolutionary innovations in transcriptome-wide RNA structural probing of living cells have ushered in a new era in understanding RNA functions. Here, we summarize the latest technological advances for probing RNA secondary structures and discuss striking discoveries that have linked RNA regulation and biological processes through interrogation of RNA structures. In particular, we highlight how different long noncoding RNAs form into distinct secondary structures that determine their modes of interactions with protein partners to realize their unique functions. These dynamic structures mediate RNA regulatory functions through altering interactions with proteins and other RNAs. We also outline current methodological hurdles and speculate about future directions for development of the next generation of RNA structure-probing technologies of higher sensitivity and resolution, which could then be applied in increasingly physiologically relevant studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi-Wen Wang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology and Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.,Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chu-Xiao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Andrology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Ling-Ling Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Andrology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China. .,School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China. .,School of Life Sciences, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China.
| | - Qiangfeng Cliff Zhang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology and Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China. .,Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing, China.
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Abstract
Plants have an extraordinary diversity of transcription machineries, including five nuclear DNA-dependent RNA polymerases. Four of these enzymes are dedicated to the production of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), which are ribonucleic acids with functions independent of their protein-coding potential. lncRNAs display a broad range of lengths and structures, but they are distinct from the small RNA guides of RNA interference (RNAi) pathways. lncRNAs frequently serve as structural, catalytic, or regulatory molecules for gene expression. They can affect all elements of genes, including promoters, untranslated regions, exons, introns, and terminators, controlling gene expression at various levels, including modifying chromatin accessibility, transcription, splicing, and translation. Certain lncRNAs protect genome integrity, while others respond to environmental cues like temperature, drought, nutrients, and pathogens. In this review, we explain the challenge of defining lncRNAs, introduce the machineries responsible for their production, and organize this knowledge by viewing the functions of lncRNAs throughout the structure of a typical plant gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrzej T Wierzbicki
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA;
| | - Todd Blevins
- Institut de Biologie Moléculaire des Plantes, CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, F-67084 Strasbourg, France;
| | - Szymon Swiezewski
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland;
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Wang L, Han J, Lu K, Li M, Gao M, Cao Z, Zhao T, Chen X, Tao X, Chen Q, Guan X. Functional examination of lncRNAs in allotetraploid Gossypium hirsutum. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:443. [PMID: 34120591 PMCID: PMC8201905 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-07771-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [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: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND An evolutionary model using diploid and allotetraploid cotton species identified 80 % of non-coding transcripts in allotetraploid cotton as being uniquely activated in comparison with its diploid ancestors. The function of the lncRNAs activated in allotetraploid cotton remain largely unknown. RESULTS We employed transcriptome analysis to examine the relationship between the lncRNAs and mRNAs of protein coding genes (PCGs) in cotton leaf tissue under abiotic stresses. LncRNA expression was preferentially associated with that of the flanking PCGs. Selected highly-expressed lncRNA candidates (n = 111) were subjected to a functional screening pilot test in which virus-induced gene silencing was integrated with abiotic stress treatment. From this low-throughput screen, we obtained candidate lncRNAs relating to plant height and tolerance to drought and other abiotic stresses. CONCLUSIONS Low-throughput screen is an effective method to find functional lncRNA for further study. LncRNAs were more active in abiotic stresses than PCG expression, especially temperature stress. LncRNA XLOC107738 may take a cis-regulatory role in response to environmental stimuli. The degree to which lncRNAs are constitutively expressed may impact expression patterns and functions on the individual gene level rather than in genome-wide aggregate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luyao Wang
- Engineering Research Centre of Cotton, Ministry of Education / College of Agriculture, Xinjiang Agricultural University, 311 Nongda East Road, 830052, Urumqi, China
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Cotton Hybrid R & D Engineering Center (the Ministry of Education), College of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, 210095, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
- College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, 210058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jin Han
- College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, 210058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Kening Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Cotton Hybrid R & D Engineering Center (the Ministry of Education), College of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, 210095, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Menglin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Cotton Hybrid R & D Engineering Center (the Ministry of Education), College of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, 210095, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Mengtao Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Cotton Hybrid R & D Engineering Center (the Ministry of Education), College of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, 210095, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zeyi Cao
- College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, 210058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Ting Zhao
- College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, 210058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xue Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Cotton Hybrid R & D Engineering Center (the Ministry of Education), College of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, 210095, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiaoyuan Tao
- College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, 210058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Quanjia Chen
- Engineering Research Centre of Cotton, Ministry of Education / College of Agriculture, Xinjiang Agricultural University, 311 Nongda East Road, 830052, Urumqi, China.
| | - Xueying Guan
- College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, 210058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
- Hainan Institute of Zhejiang University, Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City, Building 11, Yonyou Industrial Park, Yazhou District, Hainan Province, 572025, Sanya, China.
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Abstract
We have known for decades that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) can play essential functions across most forms of life. The maintenance of chromosome length requires an lncRNA (e.g., hTERC) and two lncRNAs in the ribosome that are required for protein synthesis. Thus, lncRNAs can represent powerful RNA machines. More recently, it has become clear that mammalian genomes encode thousands more lncRNAs. Thus, we raise the question: Which, if any, of these lncRNAs could also represent RNA-based machines? Here we synthesize studies that are beginning to address this question by investigating fundamental properties of lncRNA genes, revealing new insights into the RNA structure-function relationship, determining cis- and trans-acting lncRNAs in vivo, and generating new developments in high-throughput screening used to identify functional lncRNAs. Overall, these findings provide a context toward understanding the molecular grammar underlying lncRNA biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- John L Rinn
- BioFrontiers Institute, Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80303, USA;
| | - Howard Y Chang
- Center for Personal Dynamic Regulomes, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA
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Reis RS, Deforges J, Schmidt RR, Schippers JHM, Poirier Y. An antisense noncoding RNA enhances translation via localized structural rearrangements of its cognate mRNA. THE PLANT CELL 2021; 33:1381-1397. [PMID: 33793857 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koab010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
A large portion of eukaryotic genes are associated with noncoding, natural antisense transcripts (NATs). Despite sharing extensive sequence complementarity with their sense mRNAs, mRNA-NAT pairs elusively often evade dsRNA-cleavage and siRNA-triggered silencing. More surprisingly, some NATs enhance translation of their sense mRNAs by yet unknown mechanism(s). Here, we show that translation enhancement of the rice (Oryza sativa) PHOSPHATE1.2 (PHO1.2) mRNA is enabled by specific structural rearrangements guided by its noncoding antisense RNA (cis-NATpho1.2). Their interaction in vitro revealed no evidence of widespread intermolecular dsRNA formation, but rather specific local changes in nucleotide base pairing, leading to higher flexibility of PHO1.2 mRNA at a key high guanine-cytosine�(GC) regulatory region inhibiting translation, ∼350-nt downstream of the start codon. Sense-antisense RNA interaction increased formation of the 80S complex in PHO1.2, possibly by inducing structural rearrangement within this inhibitory region, thus making this mRNA more accessible to 60S. This work presents a framework for nucleotide resolution studies of functional mRNA-antisense pairs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo S Reis
- Department of Plant Molecular Biology, University of Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Jules Deforges
- Department of Plant Molecular Biology, University of Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Romy R Schmidt
- Institute of Biology I, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Jos H M Schippers
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), 06466 Gatersleben, Germany
| | - Yves Poirier
- Department of Plant Molecular Biology, University of Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
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49
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Chorostecki U, Saus E, Gabaldón T. Structural characterization of NORAD reveals a stabilizing role of spacers and two new repeat units. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2021; 19:3245-3254. [PMID: 34141143 PMCID: PMC8192489 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2021.05.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Revised: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) can perform a variety of key cellular functions by interacting with proteins and other RNAs. Recent studies have shown that the functions of lncRNAS are largely mediated by their structures. However, our structural knowledge for most lncRNAS is limited to sequence-based computational predictions. Non-coding RNA activated by DNA damage (NORAD) is an atypical lncRNA due to its abundant expression and high sequence conservation. NORAD regulates genomic stability by interacting with proteins and microRNAs. Previous sequence-based characterization has identified a modular organization of NORAD composed of several NORAD repeat units (NRUs). These units comprise the protein-binding elements and are separated by regular spacers. Here, we experimentally determine for the first time the secondary structure of NORAD using the nextPARS approach. Our results suggest that the spacer regions provide structural stability to NRUs. Furthermore, we uncover two previously unreported NRUs, and determine the core structural motifs conserved across NRUs. Overall, these findings will help to elucidate the function and evolution of NORAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uciel Chorostecki
- Barcelona Supercomputing Centre (BSC-CNS). Jordi Girona, 29. 08034 Barcelona, Spain
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac, 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ester Saus
- Barcelona Supercomputing Centre (BSC-CNS). Jordi Girona, 29. 08034 Barcelona, Spain
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac, 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Toni Gabaldón
- Barcelona Supercomputing Centre (BSC-CNS). Jordi Girona, 29. 08034 Barcelona, Spain
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac, 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
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Decoding LncRNAs. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13112643. [PMID: 34072257 PMCID: PMC8199187 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13112643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Revised: 05/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) have been considered as unimportant additions to the transcriptome. Yet, in light of numerous studies, it has become clear that ncRNAs play important roles in development, health and disease. Long-ignored, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), ncRNAs made of more than 200 nucleotides have gained attention due to their involvement as drivers or suppressors of a myriad of tumours. The detailed understanding of some of their functions, structures and interactomes has been the result of interdisciplinary efforts, as in many cases, new methods need to be created or adapted to characterise these molecules. Unlike most reviews on lncRNAs, we summarize the achievements on lncRNA studies by taking into consideration the approaches for identification of lncRNA functions, interactomes, and structural arrangements. We also provide information about the recent data on the involvement of lncRNAs in diseases and present applications of these molecules, especially in medicine.
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