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Govindaraju G, Rajavelu A. Reading the epitranscriptome of the human malaria parasite. Biomed J 2024; 48:100703. [PMID: 38316392 PMCID: PMC12002616 DOI: 10.1016/j.bj.2024.100703] [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: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic machinery has emerged as a central player in gene regulation and chromatin organization in Plasmodium spp. Epigenetic modifications on histones and their role in antigenic variation in P. falciparum are widely studied. Recent discoveries on nucleic acid methylome are exciting and provide a new dimension to the apicomplexan protozoan parasite's gene regulatory process. Reports have confirmed that N6-methyl adenosine (m6A) methylation plays a crucial role in the translational plasticity of the human malaria parasite during its development in RBC. The YTH domain (YT521-B Homology) protein in P. falciparum binds to m6A epitranscriptome modifications on the mRNA and regulates protein translation. The binding of the PfYTH domain protein to the m6A-modified mRNA is mediated through a binding pocket formed by aromatic amino acids. The P. falciparum genome encodes two members of YTH domain proteins, i.e., YTH1 and YTH2, and both have distinct roles in dictating the epitranscriptome in human malaria parasites. This review highlights recent advancements in the functions and mechanisms of YTH domain protein's role in translational plasticity in the various developmental stages of the parasite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gayathri Govindaraju
- Department of Biotechnology, Bhupat & Jyoti Mehta School of Biosciences, Indian Institute of Technology, Chennai, India
| | - Arumugam Rajavelu
- Department of Biotechnology, Bhupat & Jyoti Mehta School of Biosciences, Indian Institute of Technology, Chennai, India.
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2
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Zhang H, Zhai X, Liu Y, Xia Z, Xia T, Du G, Zhou H, Franziska Strohmer D, Bazhin AV, Li Z, Wang X, Jin B, Guo D. NOP2-mediated m5C Modification of c-Myc in an EIF3A-Dependent Manner to Reprogram Glucose Metabolism and Promote Hepatocellular Carcinoma Progression. RESEARCH (WASHINGTON, D.C.) 2023; 6:0184. [PMID: 37398932 PMCID: PMC10313139 DOI: 10.34133/research.0184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
Mitochondrial dysfunction and glycolysis activation are improtant hallmarks of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). NOP2 is an S-adenosyl-L-methionine-dependent methyltransferase that regulates the cell cycle and proliferation activities. In this study, found that NOP2 contributes to HCC progression by promoting aerobic glycolysis. Our results revealed that NOP2 was highly expressed in HCC and that it was associated with unfavorable prognosis. NOP2 knockout in combination with sorafenib enhanced sorafenib sensitivity, which, in turn, led to marked tumor growth inhibition. Mechanistically, we identified that NOP2 regulates the c-Myc expression in an m5C-modification manner to promote glycolysis. Moreover, our results revealed that m5C methylation induced c-Myc mRNA degradation in an eukaryotic translation initiation factor 3 subunit A (EIF3A)-dependent manner. In addition, NOP2 was found to increase the expression of the glycolytic genes LDHA, TPI1, PKM2, and ENO1. Furthermore, MYC associated zinc finger protein (MAZ) was identified as the major transcription factor that directly controlled the expression of NOP2 in HCC. Notably, in a patient-derived tumor xenograft (PDX) model, adenovirus-mediated knockout of NOP2 maximized the antitumor effect and prolonged the survival of PDX-bearing mice. Our cumulative findings revealed the novel signaling pathway MAZ/NOP2/c-Myc in HCC and uncovered the important roles of NOP2 and m5C modifications in metabolic reprogramming. Therefore, targeting the MAZ/NOP2/c-Myc signaling pathway is suggested to be a potential therapeutic strategy for the treatment of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery,
Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery,
The Second Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Organ Transplant Department,
Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Xiangyu Zhai
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery,
The Second Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Organ Transplant Department,
Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Yanfeng Liu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery,
Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Zhijia Xia
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplant Surgery,
Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Tong Xia
- Organ Transplant Department,
Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Gang Du
- Organ Transplant Department,
Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Huaxin Zhou
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery,
The Second Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Dorothee Franziska Strohmer
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplant Surgery,
Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Alexandr V. Bazhin
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplant Surgery,
Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Ziqiang Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery,
Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xianqiang Wang
- Department of Pediatrics Surgery,
The Seventh Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, National Engineering Laboratory for Birth Defects Prevention and Control of Key Technology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Pediatric Organ Failure, Beijing, China
| | - Bin Jin
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery,
The Second Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Organ Transplant Department,
Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Deliang Guo
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery,
Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
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3
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Zhou W, Wang X, Chang J, Cheng C, Miao C. The molecular structure and biological functions of RNA methylation, with special emphasis on the roles of RNA methylation in autoimmune diseases. Crit Rev Clin Lab Sci 2021; 59:203-218. [PMID: 34775884 DOI: 10.1080/10408363.2021.2002256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and systemic vasculitis are caused by the body's immune response to autoantigens. The pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases is complex. RNA methylation is known to play a key role in disease progression as it regulates almost all aspects of RNA processing, including RNA nuclear export, translation, splicing, and noncoding RNA processing. This review summarizes the mechanisms, molecular structures of RNA methylations and their roles in biological functions. Similar to the roles of RNA methylation in cancers, RNA methylation in RA and SLE involves "writers" that deposit methyl groups to form N6-methyladenosine (m6A) and 5-methylcytosine (m5C), "erasers" that remove these modifications, and "readers" that further affect mRNA splicing, export, translation, and degradation. Recent advances in detection methods have identified N1-methyladenosine (m1A), N6,2-O-dimethyladenosine (m6Am), and 7-methylguanosine (m7G) RNA modifications, and their roles in RA and SLE need to be further studied. The relationship between RNA methylation and other autoimmune diseases has not been reported, and the roles and mechanisms of RNA modifications in these diseases need to be explored in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanwan Zhou
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Xiao Wang
- Department of Clinical Nursing, School of Nursing, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Jun Chang
- Department of Orthopaedics, Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Chenglong Cheng
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Chenggui Miao
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, China.,Institute of Prevention and Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, China.,Department of Pharmacy, School of Life and Health Sciences, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Fengyang, Anhui Province, China
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4
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Zhou W, Wang C, Chang J, Huang Y, Xue Q, Miao C, Wu P. RNA Methylations in Cardiovascular Diseases, Molecular Structure, Biological Functions and Regulatory Roles in Cardiovascular Diseases. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:722728. [PMID: 34489709 PMCID: PMC8417252 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.722728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the world. Despite considerable progress in the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of CVDs, new diagnostic biomarkers and new therapeutic measures are urgently needed to reduce the mortality of CVDs and improve the therapeutic effect. RNA methylations regulate almost all aspects of RNA processing, such as RNA nuclear export, translation, splicing and non-coding RNA processing. In view of the importance of RNA methylations in the pathogenesis of diseases, this work reviews the molecular structures, biological functions of five kinds of RNA methylations (m6A, m5C, m1a, m6am and m7G) and their effects on CVDs, including pulmonary hypertension, hypertension, vascular calcification, cardiac hypertrophy, heart failure. In CVDs, m6A “writers” catalyze the installation of m6A on RNAs, while “erasers” remove these modifications. Finally, the “readers” of m6A further influence the mRNA splicing, nuclear export, translation and degradation. M5C, m1A, m6Am and m7G are new types of RNA methylations, their roles in CVDs need to be further explored. RNA methylations have become a new research hotspot and the roles in CVDs is gradually emerging, the review of the molecular characteristics, biological functions and effects of RNA methylation on CVDs will contribute to the elucidation of the pathological mechanisms of CVDs and the discovery of new diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets of CVDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanwan Zhou
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
| | - Changhui Wang
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Jun Chang
- Department of Orthopaedics, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Yurong Huang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
| | - Qiuyun Xue
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
| | - Chenggui Miao
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China.,Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Basis and Development of Modern Internal Medicine of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
| | - Peng Wu
- Department of Anatomy, School of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
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5
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Yang J, Pan X, Wang L, Yu G. Alveolar cells under mechanical stressed niche: critical contributors to pulmonary fibrosis. Mol Med 2020; 26:95. [PMID: 33054759 PMCID: PMC7556585 DOI: 10.1186/s10020-020-00223-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Pulmonary fibrosis arises from the repeated epithelial mild injuries and insufficient repair lead to over activation of fibroblasts and excessive deposition of extracellular matrix, which result in a mechanical stretched niche. However, increasing mechanical stress likely exists before the establishment of fibrosis since early micro injuries increase local vascular permeability and prompt cytoskeletal remodeling which alter cellular mechanical forces. It is noteworthy that COVID-19 patients with severe hypoxemia will receive mechanical ventilation as supportive treatment and subsequent pathology studies indicate lung fibrosis pattern. At advanced stages, mechanical stress originates mainly from the stiff matrix since boundaries between stiff and compliant parts of the tissue could generate mechanical stress. Therefore, mechanical stress has a significant role in the whole development process of pulmonary fibrosis. The alveoli are covered by abundant capillaries and function as the main gas exchange unit. Constantly subject to variety of damages, the alveolar epithelium injuries were recently recognized to play a vital role in the onset and development of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. In this review, we summarize the literature regarding the effects of mechanical stress on the fundamental cells constituting the alveoli in the process of pulmonary fibrosis, particularly on epithelial cells, capillary endothelial cells, fibroblasts, mast cells, macrophages and stem cells. Finally, we briefly review this issue from a more comprehensive perspective: the metabolic and epigenetic regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juntang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Regulation, Henan International Joint Laboratory of Pulmonary Fibrosis, Outstanding Overseas Scientists Center for Pulmonary Fibrosis of Henan Province, College of Life Science, Institute of Biomedical Science, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, Henan, China
| | - Xin Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Regulation, Henan International Joint Laboratory of Pulmonary Fibrosis, Outstanding Overseas Scientists Center for Pulmonary Fibrosis of Henan Province, College of Life Science, Institute of Biomedical Science, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, Henan, China
| | - Lan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Regulation, Henan International Joint Laboratory of Pulmonary Fibrosis, Outstanding Overseas Scientists Center for Pulmonary Fibrosis of Henan Province, College of Life Science, Institute of Biomedical Science, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, Henan, China
| | - Guoying Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Regulation, Henan International Joint Laboratory of Pulmonary Fibrosis, Outstanding Overseas Scientists Center for Pulmonary Fibrosis of Henan Province, College of Life Science, Institute of Biomedical Science, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, Henan, China.
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6
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Tang R, Zhang Y, Liang C, Xu J, Meng Q, Hua J, Liu J, Zhang B, Yu X, Shi S. The role of m6A-related genes in the prognosis and immune microenvironment of pancreatic adenocarcinoma. PeerJ 2020; 8:e9602. [PMID: 33062408 PMCID: PMC7528816 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.9602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD) is among the most lethal diseases and has a dismal prognosis; however, efficient treatment is currently limited. Several studies have observed epigenetic variation during tumorigenesis, suggesting the potential role of RNA methylation, especially N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification, as a novel epigenetic modification mediating PAAD prognosis. METHODS The expression levels of m6A-related genes were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas-Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma (TCGA) and Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) projects, and the findings were validated in four Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets. A predictive model was constructed using a lasso regression and evaluated by a survival analysis and receiver operating characteristic curve. Consensus clustering identified two distinct subgroups with different immune activity signatures based on the expression pattern of m6A-related genes. The relationship between the mutation state of m6A-related genes and infiltration of immune cells was established and visualized using Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (https://cistrome.shinyapps.io/timer/). RESULTS Fourteen of twenty-one m6A-related genes were differentially expressed between PAAD and normal tissues in TCGA-GTEx cohort. Among these genes, HNRNPC, IGF2BP2 and YTHDF1 were further validated in four GEO datasets. Moreover, an m6A-based model exhibited moderate accuracy in predicting overall survival in PAAD samples. Additionally, potential m6A modification targets were screened by selecting genes from a set of 23,391 genes that not only harbored the most m6A-modified sites but also showed a robust correlation with PAAD survival. Moreover, we correlated the expression level of m6A-related genes with the immune microenvironment of pancreatic cancer for the first time. Specifically, both arm-level gain and deletion of ALKBH5 decreased the infiltration of CD8+T cells (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively). CONCLUSION Collectively, our findings suggest a novel anticancer strategy for restoring balanced RNA methylation in tumor cells and guide clinical physicians in developing a new practical approach for considering the impact of related genes on prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Tang
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, China
- Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yiyin Zhang
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, China
- Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chen Liang
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, China
- Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jin Xu
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, China
- Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qingcai Meng
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, China
- Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jie Hua
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, China
- Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiang Liu
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, China
- Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Bo Zhang
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, China
- Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xianjun Yu
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, China
- Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Si Shi
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, China
- Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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Vejnar CE, Abdel Messih M, Takacs CM, Yartseva V, Oikonomou P, Christiano R, Stoeckius M, Lau S, Lee MT, Beaudoin JD, Musaev D, Darwich-Codore H, Walther TC, Tavazoie S, Cifuentes D, Giraldez AJ. Genome wide analysis of 3' UTR sequence elements and proteins regulating mRNA stability during maternal-to-zygotic transition in zebrafish. Genome Res 2019; 29:1100-1114. [PMID: 31227602 PMCID: PMC6633259 DOI: 10.1101/gr.245159.118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2018] [Accepted: 06/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Posttranscriptional regulation plays a crucial role in shaping gene expression. During the maternal-to-zygotic transition (MZT), thousands of maternal transcripts are regulated. However, how different cis-elements and trans-factors are integrated to determine mRNA stability remains poorly understood. Here, we show that most transcripts are under combinatorial regulation by multiple decay pathways during zebrafish MZT. By using a massively parallel reporter assay, we identified cis-regulatory sequences in the 3' UTR, including U-rich motifs that are associated with increased mRNA stability. In contrast, miR-430 target sequences, UAUUUAUU AU-rich elements (ARE), CCUC, and CUGC elements emerged as destabilizing motifs, with miR-430 and AREs causing mRNA deadenylation upon genome activation. We identified trans-factors by profiling RNA-protein interactions and found that poly(U)-binding proteins are preferentially associated with 3' UTR sequences and stabilizing motifs. We show that this activity is antagonized by C-rich motifs and correlated with protein binding. Finally, we integrated these regulatory motifs into a machine learning model that predicts reporter mRNA stability in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles E Vejnar
- Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510, USA
| | - Mario Abdel Messih
- Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510, USA
| | - Carter M Takacs
- Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510, USA
- University of New Haven, West Haven, Connecticut 06516, USA
| | - Valeria Yartseva
- Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Genentech, Incorporated, South San Francisco, California 94080, USA
| | - Panos Oikonomou
- Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University, New York, New York 10032, USA
| | - Romain Christiano
- Department of Genetics and Complex Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
| | - Marlon Stoeckius
- Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510, USA
- New York Genome Center, New York, New York 10013, USA
| | - Stephanie Lau
- Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510, USA
| | - Miler T Lee
- Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, USA
| | - Jean-Denis Beaudoin
- Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510, USA
| | - Damir Musaev
- Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510, USA
| | - Hiba Darwich-Codore
- Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510, USA
| | - Tobias C Walther
- Department of Genetics and Complex Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02124, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
| | - Saeed Tavazoie
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, and Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University, New York, New York 10032, USA
| | - Daniel Cifuentes
- Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02118, USA
| | - Antonio J Giraldez
- Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510, USA
- Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510, USA
- Yale Cancer Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510, USA
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8
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Vopalensky P, Pralow S, Vastenhouw NL. Reduced expression of the Nodal co-receptor Oep causes loss of mesendodermal competence in zebrafish. Development 2018; 145:dev.158832. [PMID: 29440298 DOI: 10.1242/dev.158832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2017] [Accepted: 01/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The activation of specific gene expression programs depends on the presence of the appropriate signals and the competence of cells to respond to those signals. Although it is well established that cellular competence is regulated in space and time, the molecular mechanisms underlying the loss of competence remain largely unknown. Here, we determine the time window during which zebrafish prospective ectoderm loses its ability to respond to Nodal signals, and show that this coincides with a decrease in the levels of the Nodal co-receptor One-eyed pinhead (Oep). Bypassing Oep using a photoactivatable receptor, or an Oep-independent ligand, allows activation of Nodal target genes for an extended period of time. These results suggest that the reduced expression of Oep causes the loss of responsiveness to Nodal signals in the prospective ectoderm. Indeed, extending the presence of Oep prolongs the window of competence to respond to Nodal signals. Our findings suggest a simple mechanism in which the decreasing level of one component of the Nodal signaling pathway regulates the loss of mesendodermal competence in the prospective ectoderm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavel Vopalensky
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstraße 108, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Sabrina Pralow
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstraße 108, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Nadine L Vastenhouw
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstraße 108, 01307 Dresden, Germany
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9
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Despic V, Neugebauer KM. RNA tales – how embryos read and discard messages from mom. J Cell Sci 2018; 131:jcs.201996. [DOI: 10.1242/jcs.201996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Following fertilization, embryos develop for a substantial amount of time with a transcriptionally silent genome. Thus, early development is maternally programmed, as it solely relies on RNAs and proteins that are provided by the female gamete. However, these maternal instructions are not sufficient to support later steps of embryogenesis and are therefore gradually replaced by novel products synthesized from the zygotic genome. This switch in the origin of molecular players that drive early development is known as the maternal-to-zygotic transition (MZT). MZT is a universal phenomenon among all metazoans and comprises two interconnected processes: maternal mRNA degradation and the transcriptional awakening of the zygotic genome. The recent adaptation of high-throughput methods for use in embryos has deepened our knowledge of the molecular principles underlying MZT. These mechanisms comprise conserved strategies for RNA regulation that operate in many well-studied cellular contexts but that have adapted differently to early development. In this Review, we will discuss advances in our understanding of post-transcriptional regulatory pathways that drive maternal mRNA clearance during MZT, with an emphasis on recent data in zebrafish embryos on codon-mediated mRNA decay, the contributions of microRNAs (miRNAs) and RNA-binding proteins to this process, and the roles of RNA modifications in the stability control of maternal mRNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladimir Despic
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Medical College, Cornell University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Karla M. Neugebauer
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
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