1
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Garcia P, Jarassier W, Brun C, Giordani L, Agostini F, Kung WH, Peccate C, Ravent J, Fall S, Petit V, Cheung TH, Ait-Si-Ali S, Le Grand F. Setdb1 protects genome integrity in murine muscle stem cells to allow for regenerative myogenesis and inflammation. Dev Cell 2024:S1534-5807(24)00329-0. [PMID: 38848717 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2024.05.012] [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: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
The histone H3 lysine 9 methyltransferase SETDB1 controls transcriptional repression to direct stem cell fate. Here, we show that Setdb1 expression by adult muscle stem cells (MuSCs) is required for skeletal muscle regeneration. We find that SETDB1 represses the expression of endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) in MuSCs. ERV de-repression in Setdb1-null MuSCs prevents their amplification following exit from quiescence and promotes cell death. Multi-omics profiling shows that chromatin decompaction at ERV loci activates the DNA-sensing cGAS-STING pathway, entailing cytokine expression by Setdb1-null MuSCs. This is followed by aberrant infiltration of inflammatory cells, including pathological macrophages. The ensuing histiocytosis is accompanied by myofiber necrosis, which, in addition to progressive MuSCs depletion, completely abolishes tissue repair. In contrast, loss of Setdb1 in fibro-adipogenic progenitors (FAPs) does not impact immune cells. In conclusion, genome maintenance by SETDB1 in an adult somatic stem cell is necessary for both its regenerative potential and adequate reparative inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pauline Garcia
- Université Claude Bernard-Lyon 1, CNRS UMR 5261, Inserm U1315, Institut NeuroMyoGène, Pathophysiology and Genetics of Neuron and Muscle Unit, 69008 Lyon, France
| | - William Jarassier
- Université Claude Bernard-Lyon 1, CNRS UMR 5261, Inserm U1315, Institut NeuroMyoGène, Pathophysiology and Genetics of Neuron and Muscle Unit, 69008 Lyon, France
| | - Caroline Brun
- Université Claude Bernard-Lyon 1, CNRS UMR 5261, Inserm U1315, Institut NeuroMyoGène, Pathophysiology and Genetics of Neuron and Muscle Unit, 69008 Lyon, France
| | - Lorenzo Giordani
- Sorbonne Université, Inserm UMRS 974, Institut de Myologie, Myology Research Center Unit, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Fany Agostini
- Université Claude Bernard-Lyon 1, CNRS UMR 5261, Inserm U1315, Institut NeuroMyoGène, Pathophysiology and Genetics of Neuron and Muscle Unit, 69008 Lyon, France
| | - Wai Hing Kung
- Division of Life Science, Center for Stem Cell Research, HKUST-Nan Fung Life Sciences Joint Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Molecular Neuroscience Center, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China
| | - Cécile Peccate
- Sorbonne Université, Inserm UMRS 974, Institut de Myologie, Myology Research Center Unit, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Jade Ravent
- Université Claude Bernard-Lyon 1, CNRS UMR 5261, Inserm U1315, Institut NeuroMyoGène, Pathophysiology and Genetics of Neuron and Muscle Unit, 69008 Lyon, France
| | - Sidy Fall
- Université Claude Bernard-Lyon 1, CNRS UMR 5261, Inserm U1315, Institut NeuroMyoGène, Pathophysiology and Genetics of Neuron and Muscle Unit, 69008 Lyon, France
| | - Valentin Petit
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Epigenetics and Cell Fate, UMR 7216, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Tom H Cheung
- Division of Life Science, Center for Stem Cell Research, HKUST-Nan Fung Life Sciences Joint Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Molecular Neuroscience Center, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China
| | - Slimane Ait-Si-Ali
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Epigenetics and Cell Fate, UMR 7216, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Fabien Le Grand
- Université Claude Bernard-Lyon 1, CNRS UMR 5261, Inserm U1315, Institut NeuroMyoGène, Pathophysiology and Genetics of Neuron and Muscle Unit, 69008 Lyon, France.
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2
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Hatanaka R, Tamagawa K, Haruta N, Sugimoto A. The impact of differential transposition activities of autonomous and nonautonomous hAT transposable elements on genome architecture and gene expression in Caenorhabditis inopinata. Genetics 2024; 227:iyae052. [PMID: 38577765 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyae052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Transposable elements are DNA sequences capable of moving within genomes and significantly influence genomic evolution. The nematode Caenorhabditis inopinata exhibits a much higher transposable element copy number than its sister species, Caenorhabditis elegans. In this study, we identified a novel autonomous transposable element belonging to the hAT superfamily from a spontaneous transposable element-insertion mutant in C. inopinata and named this transposon Ci-hAT1. Further bioinformatic analyses uncovered 3 additional autonomous hAT elements-Ci-hAT2, Ci-hAT3, and Ci-hAT4-along with over 1,000 copies of 2 nonautonomous miniature inverted-repeat transposable elements, mCi-hAT1 and mCi-hAT4, likely derived from Ci-hAT1 and Ci-hAT4 through internal deletion. We tracked at least 3 sequential transpositions of Ci-hAT1 over several years. However, the transposition rates of the other 3 autonomous hAT elements were lower, suggesting varying activity levels. Notably, the distribution patterns of the 2 miniature inverted-repeat transposable element families differed significantly: mCi-hAT1 was primarily located in the chromosome arms, a pattern observed in the transposable elements of other Caenorhabditis species, whereas mCi-hAT4 was more evenly distributed across chromosomes. Additionally, interspecific transcriptome analysis indicated that C. inopinata genes with upstream or intronic these miniature inverted-repeat transposable element insertions tend to be more highly expressed than their orthologous genes in C. elegans. These findings highlight the significant role of de-silenced transposable elements in driving the evolution of genomes and transcriptomes, leading to species-specific genetic diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryuhei Hatanaka
- Laboratory of Developmental Dynamics, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577, Japan
| | - Katsunori Tamagawa
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Genomics, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8578, Japan
| | - Nami Haruta
- Laboratory of Developmental Dynamics, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577, Japan
| | - Asako Sugimoto
- Laboratory of Developmental Dynamics, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577, Japan
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3
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Shao F, Zeng M, Xu X, Zhang H, Peng Z. FishTEDB 2.0: an update fish transposable element (TE) database with new functions to facilitate TE research. Database (Oxford) 2024; 2024:baae044. [PMID: 38829853 PMCID: PMC11146639 DOI: 10.1093/database/baae044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
We launched the initial version of FishTEDB in 2018, which aimed to establish an open-source, user-friendly, data-rich transposable element (TE) database. Over the past 5 years, FishTEDB 1.0 has gained approximately 10 000 users, accumulating more than 450 000 interactions. With the unveiling of extensive fish genome data and the increasing emphasis on TE research, FishTEDB needs to extend the richness of data and functions. To achieve the above goals, we introduced 33 new fish species to FishTEDB 2.0, encompassing a wide array of fish belonging to 48 orders. To make the updated database more functional, we added a genome browser to visualize the positional relationship between TEs and genes and the estimated TE insertion time in different species. In conclusion, we released a new version of the fish TE database, FishTEDB 2.0, designed to assist researchers in the future study of TE functions and promote the progress of biological theories related to TEs. Database URL: https://www.fishtedb.com/.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Shao
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development (Ministry of Education), Southwest University School of Life Sciences, 2 Tiansheng Road, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Minzhi Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development (Ministry of Education), Southwest University School of Life Sciences, 2 Tiansheng Road, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Xiaofei Xu
- School of Computing Technologies, RMIT University, 124 La Trobe Street, Victoria 3000, Australia
| | - Huahao Zhang
- College of Pharmacy and Life Science, Jiujiang University, 551 Qianjin East Road, Jiujiang 332005, China
| | - Zuogang Peng
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development (Ministry of Education), Southwest University School of Life Sciences, 2 Tiansheng Road, Chongqing 400715, China
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4
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Kerckhofs E, Schubert D. Conserved functions of chromatin regulators in basal Archaeplastida. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024; 118:1301-1311. [PMID: 37680033 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.16446] [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: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
Chromatin is a dynamic network that regulates genome organization and gene expression. Different types of chromatin regulators are highly conserved among Archaeplastida, including unicellular algae, while some chromatin genes are only present in land plant genomes. Here, we review recent advances in understanding the function of conserved chromatin factors in basal land plants and algae. We focus on the role of Polycomb-group genes which mediate H3K27me3-based silencing and play a role in balancing gene dosage and regulating haploid-to-diploid transitions by tissue-specific repression of the transcription factors KNOX and BELL in many representatives of the green lineage. Moreover, H3K27me3 predominantly occupies repetitive elements which can lead to their silencing in a unicellular alga and basal land plants, while it covers mostly protein-coding genes in higher land plants. In addition, we discuss the role of nuclear matrix constituent proteins as putative functional lamin analogs that are highly conserved among land plants and might have an ancestral function in stress response regulation. In summary, our review highlights the importance of studying chromatin regulation in a wide range of organisms in the Archaeplastida.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elise Kerckhofs
- Epigenetics of Plants, Institute for Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Daniel Schubert
- Epigenetics of Plants, Institute for Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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5
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Radrizzani S, Kudla G, Izsvák Z, Hurst LD. Selection on synonymous sites: the unwanted transcript hypothesis. Nat Rev Genet 2024; 25:431-448. [PMID: 38297070 DOI: 10.1038/s41576-023-00686-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2024]
Abstract
Although translational selection to favour codons that match the most abundant tRNAs is not readily observed in humans, there is nonetheless selection in humans on synonymous mutations. We hypothesize that much of this synonymous site selection can be explained in terms of protection against unwanted RNAs - spurious transcripts, mis-spliced forms or RNAs derived from transposable elements or viruses. We propose not only that selection on synonymous sites functions to reduce the rate of creation of unwanted transcripts (for example, through selection on exonic splice enhancers and cryptic splice sites) but also that high-GC content (but low-CpG content), together with intron presence and position, is both particular to functional native mRNAs and used to recognize transcripts as native. In support of this hypothesis, transcription, nuclear export, liquid phase condensation and RNA degradation have all recently been shown to promote GC-rich transcripts and suppress AU/CpG-rich ones. With such 'traps' being set against AU/CpG-rich transcripts, the codon usage of native genes has, in turn, evolved to avoid such suppression. That parallel filters against AU/CpG-rich transcripts also affect the endosomal import of RNAs further supports the unwanted transcript hypothesis of synonymous site selection and explains the similar design rules that have enabled the successful use of transgenes and RNA vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Radrizzani
- Milner Centre for Evolution, Department of Life Sciences, University of Bath, Bath, UK
- Milner Therapeutics Institute, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Grzegorz Kudla
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, Institute for Genetics and Cancer, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Zsuzsanna Izsvák
- Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Society, Berlin, Germany
| | - Laurence D Hurst
- Milner Centre for Evolution, Department of Life Sciences, University of Bath, Bath, UK.
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6
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Blumenstiel JP. From the cauldron of conflict: Endogenous gene regulation by piRNA and other modes of adaptation enabled by selfish transposable elements. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2024; 164:1-12. [PMID: 38823219 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2024.05.001] [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: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 04/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/03/2024]
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) provide a prime example of genetic conflict because they can proliferate in genomes and populations even if they harm the host. However, numerous studies have shown that TEs, though typically harmful, can also provide fuel for adaptation. This is because they code functional sequences that can be useful for the host in which they reside. In this review, I summarize the "how" and "why" of adaptation enabled by the genetic conflict between TEs and hosts. In addition, focusing on mechanisms of TE control by small piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs), I highlight an indirect form of adaptation enabled by conflict. In this case, mechanisms of host defense that regulate TEs have been redeployed for endogenous gene regulation. I propose that the genetic conflict released by meiosis in early eukaryotes may have been important because, among other reasons, it spurred evolutionary innovation on multiple interwoven trajectories - on the part of hosts and also embedded genetic parasites. This form of evolution may function as a complexity generating engine that was a critical player in eukaryotic evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin P Blumenstiel
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, 1200 Sunnyside Avenue, Lawrence, KS 66045, United States.
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7
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Cappucci U, Proietti M, Casale AM, Schiavo S, Chiavarini S, Accardo S, Manzo S, Piacentini L. Assessing genotoxic effects of plastic leachates in Drosophila melanogaster. CHEMOSPHERE 2024:142440. [PMID: 38821133 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.142440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024]
Abstract
Plastic polymers were largely added with chemical substances to be utilized in the items and product manufacturing. The leachability of these substances is a matter of concern given the wide amount of plastic waste, particularly in terrestrial environments, where soil represents a sink for these novel contaminants and a possible pathway of human health risk. In this study, we integrated genetic, molecular, and behavioral approaches to comparatively evaluate toxicological effects of plastic leachates, virgin and oxodegradable polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE), in Drosophila melanogaster, a novel in vivo model organism for environmental monitoring studies and (eco)toxicological research. The results of this study revealed that while conventional toxicological endpoints such as developmental times and longevity remain largely unaffected, exposure to plastic leachates induces chromosomal abnormalities and transposable element (TE) activation in neural tissues. The combined effects of DNA damage and TE mobilization contribute to genome instability and increase the likelihood of LOH events, thus potentiating tumor growth and metastatic behavior of RasV12 clones. Collectively, these findings indicate that plastic leachates exert genotoxic effects in Drosophila thus highlighting potential risks associated with leachate-related plastic pollution and their implications for ecosystems and human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ugo Cappucci
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "C. Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, P. le A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Mirena Proietti
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "C. Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, P. le A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Assunta Maria Casale
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "C. Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, P. le A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Simona Schiavo
- ENEA, Department for Sustainability, Division Protection and Enhancement of the Natural Capital, P. le E. Fermi 1, 80055 Portici, Na, Italy
| | - Salvatore Chiavarini
- ENEA, Department for Sustainability, Division Protection and Enhancement of the Natural Capital, P. le E. Fermi 1, 80055 Portici, Na, Italy
| | - Sara Accardo
- ENEA, Department for Sustainability, Division Protection and Enhancement of the Natural Capital, P. le E. Fermi 1, 80055 Portici, Na, Italy
| | - Sonia Manzo
- ENEA, Department for Sustainability, Division Protection and Enhancement of the Natural Capital, P. le E. Fermi 1, 80055 Portici, Na, Italy.
| | - Lucia Piacentini
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "C. Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, P. le A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy.
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8
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Singh PP, Reeves GA, Contrepois K, Papsdorf K, Miklas JW, Ellenberger M, Hu CK, Snyder MP, Brunet A. Evolution of diapause in the African turquoise killifish by remodeling the ancient gene regulatory landscape. Cell 2024:S0092-8674(24)00474-4. [PMID: 38810644 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.04.048] [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: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
Suspended animation states allow organisms to survive extreme environments. The African turquoise killifish has evolved diapause as a form of suspended development to survive a complete drought. However, the mechanisms underlying the evolution of extreme survival states are unknown. To understand diapause evolution, we performed integrative multi-omics (gene expression, chromatin accessibility, and lipidomics) in the embryos of multiple killifish species. We find that diapause evolved by a recent remodeling of regulatory elements at very ancient gene duplicates (paralogs) present in all vertebrates. CRISPR-Cas9-based perturbations identify the transcription factors REST/NRSF and FOXOs as critical for the diapause gene expression program, including genes involved in lipid metabolism. Indeed, diapause shows a distinct lipid profile, with an increase in triglycerides with very-long-chain fatty acids. Our work suggests a mechanism for the evolution of complex adaptations and offers strategies to promote long-term survival by activating suspended animation programs in other species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - G Adam Reeves
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Kévin Contrepois
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | | | - Jason W Miklas
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | | | - Chi-Kuo Hu
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Michael P Snyder
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Stanford Diabetes Research Center, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Anne Brunet
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Glenn Center for the Biology of Aging, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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9
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Münch L, Helmprobst F, Volff JN, Chalopin D, Schartl M, Kneitz S. Transposable Element Expression Profiles in Premalignant Pigment Cell Lesions and Melanoma of Xiphophorus. Genes (Basel) 2024; 15:620. [PMID: 38790249 PMCID: PMC11121471 DOI: 10.3390/genes15050620] [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: 03/28/2024] [Revised: 05/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) are characterized by their ability to change their genomic position. Through insertion or recombination leading to deletions and other chromosomal aberrations, they can cause genetic instability. The extent to which they thereby exert regulatory influence on cellular functions is unclear. To better characterize TEs in processes such as carcinogenesis, we used the well-established Xiphophorus melanoma model. By transcriptome sequencing, we show that an increasing total number in transposons correlates with progression of malignancy in melanoma samples from Xiphophorus interspecific hybrids. Further, by comparing the presence of TEs in the parental genomes of Xiphophorus maculatus and Xiphophorus hellerii, we could show that even in closely related species, genomic location and spectrum of TEs are considerably different.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Münch
- Neurology Asklepios Klinik Barmbek, Rübenkamp 220, 22307 Hamburg, Germany;
| | - Frederik Helmprobst
- Institute of Neuropathology, Philipps-University Marburg, 35037 Marburg, Germany;
| | | | | | - Manfred Schartl
- The Xiphophorus Genetic Stock Center, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX 786666, USA
- Developmental Biochemistry, University of Würzburg, 97974 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Susanne Kneitz
- Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany;
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10
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Zhang YR, Yin Y, Guo SM, Wang YF, Zhao GN, Ji DM, Zhou LQ. The landscape of transcriptional profiles in human oocytes with different chromatin configurations. J Ovarian Res 2024; 17:99. [PMID: 38730385 PMCID: PMC11088011 DOI: 10.1186/s13048-024-01431-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
With increasingly used assisted reproductive technology (ART), the acquisition of high-quality oocytes and early embryos has become the focus of much attention. Studies in mice have found that the transition of chromatin conformation from non-surrounded nucleolus (NSN) to surrounded nucleolus (SN) is essential for oocyte maturation and early embryo development, and similar chromatin transition also exists in human oocytes. In this study, we collected human NSN and SN oocytes and investigated their transcriptome. The analysis of differentially expressed genes showed that epigenetic functions, cyclin-dependent kinases and transposable elements may play important roles in chromatin transition during human oocyte maturation. Our findings provide new insights into the molecular mechanism of NSN-to-SN transition of human oocyte and obtained new clues for improvement of oocyte in vitro maturation technique.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Ran Zhang
- Institute of Reproductive Health/Center of Reproductive Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract, Anhui Medical University, Anhui, China
| | - Ying Yin
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Drug Target Research and Pharmacodynamic Evaluation, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Shi-Meng Guo
- Institute of Reproductive Health/Center of Reproductive Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yu-Fan Wang
- Institute of Reproductive Health/Center of Reproductive Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Guang-Nian Zhao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Invasion and Metastasis (Ministry of Education), Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Invasion and Metastasis, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
| | - Dong-Mei Ji
- NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract, Anhui Medical University, Anhui, China.
| | - Li-Quan Zhou
- Institute of Reproductive Health/Center of Reproductive Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
- NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract, Anhui Medical University, Anhui, China.
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11
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Guo P, Yu Y, Kang H, Liu Y, Zhu D, Sun C, Xing Z, Tang Z, Chen K, Tan A. GASZ is indispensable for gametogenesis in the silkworm, Bombyx mori. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024. [PMID: 38728119 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 04/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
The prominent role of the P-element induced wimpy testis (PIWI)-interacting RNA (piRNA) pathway in animals is to silence transposable elements and maintain genome stability, ensuring proper gametogenesis in gonads. GASZ (Germ cell protein with Ankyrin repeats, Sterile alpha motif, and leucine Zipper) is an evolutionarily conserved protein located on the outer mitochondrial membrane of germ cells and plays vital roles in the piRNA pathway and spermatogenesis in mammals. In the model insect Drosophila melanogaster, GASZ is essential for piRNA biogenesis and oogenesis, whereas its biological functions in non-drosophilid insects are still unknown. Here, we describe a comprehensive investigation of GASZ functions in the silkworm, Bombyx mori, a lepidopteran model insect, by using a binary transgenic CRISPR/Cas9 system. The BmGASZ mutation did not affect growth and development, but led to sterility in both males and females. Eupyrene sperm bundles of mutant males exhibited developmental defects, while the apyrene sperm bundles were normal, which were further confirmed through double copulation experiments with sex-lethal mutants, which males possess functional eupyrene sperm and abnormal apyrene sperm. In female mutant moths, ovarioles were severely degenerated and the eggs in ovarioles were deformed compared with that of wild type (WT). Further RNA-seq and RT-qPCR analysis revealed that amounts of piRNAs and transposon expression were dysregulated in gonads of mutants. In summary, this study has demonstrated vital roles of BmGASZ in gametogenesis through regulating the piRNA pathway in B. mori.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peilin Guo
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture, Sericultural Scientific Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Ye Yu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture, Sericultural Scientific Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Hongxia Kang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture, Sericultural Scientific Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Yutong Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture, Sericultural Scientific Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Dalin Zhu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture, Sericultural Scientific Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Chenxin Sun
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture, Sericultural Scientific Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Zhiping Xing
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture, Sericultural Scientific Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Ziyue Tang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture, Sericultural Scientific Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Kai Chen
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture, Sericultural Scientific Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Anjiang Tan
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture, Sericultural Scientific Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhenjiang, China
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12
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Wang B, Saleh AA, Yang N, Asare E, Chen H, Wang Q, Chen C, Song C, Gao B. High Diversity of Long Terminal Repeat Retrotransposons in Compact Vertebrate Genomes: Insights from Genomes of Tetraodontiformes. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1425. [PMID: 38791643 PMCID: PMC11117352 DOI: 10.3390/ani14101425] [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: 03/25/2024] [Revised: 05/04/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the evolutionary profile (including diversity, activity, and abundance) of retrotransposons (RTNs) with long terminal repeats (LTRs) in ten species of Tetraodontiformes. These species, Arothron firmamentum, Lagocephalus sceleratus, Pao palembangensis, Takifugu bimaculatus, Takifugu flavidus, Takifugu ocellatus, Takifugu rubripes, Tetraodon nigroviridis, Mola mola, and Thamnaconus septentrionalis, are known for having the smallest genomes among vertebrates. Data mining revealed a high diversity and wide distribution of LTR retrotransposons (LTR-RTNs) in these compact vertebrate genomes, with varying abundances among species. A total of 819 full-length LTR-RTN sequences were identified across these genomes, categorized into nine families belonging to four different superfamilies: ERV (Orthoretrovirinae and Epsilon retrovirus), Copia, BEL-PAO, and Gypsy (Gmr, Mag, V-clade, CsRN1, and Barthez). The Gypsy superfamily exhibited the highest diversity. LTR family distribution varied among species, with Takifugu bimaculatus, Takifugu flavidus, Takifugu ocellatus, and Takifugu rubripes having the highest richness of LTR families and sequences. Additionally, evidence of recent invasions was observed in specific tetraodontiform genomes, suggesting potential transposition activity. This study provides insights into the evolution of LTR retrotransposons in Tetraodontiformes, enhancing our understanding of their impact on the structure and evolution of host genomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingqing Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (B.W.); (A.A.S.); (N.Y.); (E.A.); (H.C.); (Q.W.); (C.C.); (C.S.)
| | - Ahmed A. Saleh
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (B.W.); (A.A.S.); (N.Y.); (E.A.); (H.C.); (Q.W.); (C.C.); (C.S.)
- Animal and Fish Production Department, Faculty of Agriculture (Al-Shatby), Alexandria University, Alexandria 11865, Egypt
| | - Naisu Yang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (B.W.); (A.A.S.); (N.Y.); (E.A.); (H.C.); (Q.W.); (C.C.); (C.S.)
| | - Emmanuel Asare
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (B.W.); (A.A.S.); (N.Y.); (E.A.); (H.C.); (Q.W.); (C.C.); (C.S.)
| | - Hong Chen
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (B.W.); (A.A.S.); (N.Y.); (E.A.); (H.C.); (Q.W.); (C.C.); (C.S.)
| | - Quan Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (B.W.); (A.A.S.); (N.Y.); (E.A.); (H.C.); (Q.W.); (C.C.); (C.S.)
| | - Cai Chen
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (B.W.); (A.A.S.); (N.Y.); (E.A.); (H.C.); (Q.W.); (C.C.); (C.S.)
| | - Chengyi Song
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (B.W.); (A.A.S.); (N.Y.); (E.A.); (H.C.); (Q.W.); (C.C.); (C.S.)
| | - Bo Gao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (B.W.); (A.A.S.); (N.Y.); (E.A.); (H.C.); (Q.W.); (C.C.); (C.S.)
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13
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Lin L, Sun T, Guo J, Lin L, Chen M, Wang Z, Bao J, Norvienyeku J, Zhang D, Han Y, Lu G, Rensing C, Zheng H, Zhong Z, Wang Z. Transposable elements impact the population divergence of rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae. mBio 2024; 15:e0008624. [PMID: 38534157 PMCID: PMC11077969 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00086-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Dynamic transposition of transposable elements (TEs) in fungal pathogens has significant impact on genome stability, gene expression, and virulence to the host. In Magnaporthe oryzae, genome plasticity resulting from TE insertion is a major driving force leading to the rapid evolution and diversification of this fungus. Despite their importance in M. oryzae population evolution and divergence, our understanding of TEs in this context remains limited. Here, we conducted a genome-wide analysis of TE transposition dynamics in the 11 most abundant TE families in M. oryzae populations. Our results show that these TEs have specifically expanded in recently isolated M. oryzae rice populations, with the presence/absence polymorphism of TE insertions highly concordant with population divergence on Geng/Japonica and Xian/Indica rice cultivars. Notably, the genes targeted by clade-specific TEs showed clade-specific expression patterns and are involved in the pathogenic process, suggesting a transcriptional regulation of TEs on targeted genes. Our study provides a comprehensive analysis of TEs in M. oryzae populations and demonstrates a crucial role of recent TE bursts in adaptive evolution and diversification of the M. oryzae rice-infecting lineage. IMPORTANCE Magnaporthe oryzae is the causal agent of the destructive blast disease, which caused massive loss of yield annually worldwide. The fungus diverged into distinct clades during adaptation toward the two rice subspecies, Xian/Indica and Geng/Japonica. Although the role of TEs in the adaptive evolution was well established, mechanisms underlying how TEs promote the population divergence of M. oryzae remain largely unknown. In this study, we reported that TEs shape the population divergence of M. oryzae by differentially regulating gene expression between Xian/Indica-infecting and Geng/Japonica-infecting populations. Our results revealed a TE insertion-mediated gene expression adaption that led to the divergence of M. oryzae population infecting different rice subspecies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lianyu Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, College of Life Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Ting Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, College of Life Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Jiayuan Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, College of Life Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Fuzhou Institute of Oceanography, Minjiang University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Lili Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, College of Life Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Meilian Chen
- Fuzhou Institute of Oceanography, Minjiang University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Zhe Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, College of Life Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Jiandong Bao
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Treats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Institute of Plant Protection and Microbiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Justice Norvienyeku
- Key Laboratory of Green Prevention and Control of Tropical Plant Diseases and Pests, Ministry of Education, College of Plant Protection, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Dongmei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, College of Life Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Yijuan Han
- Fuzhou Institute of Oceanography, Minjiang University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Guodong Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, College of Life Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Christopher Rensing
- Institute of Environmental Microbiology, College of Resource and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Huakun Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, College of Life Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Zhenhui Zhong
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, College of Life Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Zonghua Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, College of Life Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Fuzhou Institute of Oceanography, Minjiang University, Fuzhou, China
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14
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Kusch S, Qian J, Loos A, Kümmel F, Spanu PD, Panstruga R. Long-term and rapid evolution in powdery mildew fungi. Mol Ecol 2024; 33:e16909. [PMID: 36862075 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023]
Abstract
The powdery mildew fungi (Erysiphaceae) are globally distributed plant pathogens with a range of more than 10,000 plant hosts. In this review, we discuss the long- and short-term evolution of these obligate biotrophic fungi and outline their diversity with respect to morphology, lifestyle, and host range. We highlight their remarkable ability to rapidly overcome plant immunity, evolve fungicide resistance, and broaden their host range, for example, through adaptation and hybridization. Recent advances in genomics and proteomics, particularly in cereal powdery mildews (genus Blumeria), provided first insights into mechanisms of genomic adaptation in these fungi. Transposable elements play key roles in shaping their genomes, where even close relatives exhibit diversified patterns of recent and ongoing transposon activity. These transposons are ubiquitously distributed in the powdery mildew genomes, resulting in a highly adaptive genome architecture lacking obvious regions of conserved gene space. Transposons can also be neofunctionalized to encode novel virulence factors, particularly candidate secreted effector proteins, which may undermine the plant immune system. In cereals like barley and wheat, some of these effectors are recognized by plant immune receptors encoded by resistance genes with numerous allelic variants. These effectors determine incompatibility ("avirulence") and evolve rapidly through sequence diversification and copy number variation. Altogether, powdery mildew fungi possess plastic genomes that enable their fast evolutionary adaptation towards overcoming plant immunity, host barriers, and chemical stress such as fungicides, foreshadowing future outbreaks, host range shifts and expansions as well as potential pandemics by these pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Kusch
- Unit of Plant Molecular Cell Biology, Institute for Biology I, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Jiangzhao Qian
- Unit of Plant Molecular Cell Biology, Institute for Biology I, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Anne Loos
- Unit of Plant Molecular Cell Biology, Institute for Biology I, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Florian Kümmel
- Department of Plant-Microbe Interactions, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Cologne, Germany
| | - Pietro D Spanu
- Unit of Plant Molecular Cell Biology, Institute for Biology I, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- Imperial College, London, UK
| | - Ralph Panstruga
- Unit of Plant Molecular Cell Biology, Institute for Biology I, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
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15
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Han Z, Wang Z, Rittschof D, Huang Z, Chen L, Hao H, Yao S, Su P, Huang M, Zhang YY, Ke C, Feng D. New genes helped acorn barnacles adapt to a sessile lifestyle. Nat Genet 2024; 56:970-981. [PMID: 38654131 DOI: 10.1038/s41588-024-01733-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
Barnacles are the only sessile lineages among crustaceans, and their sessile life begins with the settlement of swimming larvae (cyprids) and the formation of protective shells. These processes are crucial for adaptation to a sessile lifestyle, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. While investigating these mechanisms in the acorn barnacle, Amphibalanus amphitrite, we discovered a new gene, bcs-6, which is involved in the energy metabolism of cyprid settlement and originated from a transposon by acquiring the promoter and cis-regulatory element. Unlike mollusks, the barnacle shell comprises alternate layers of chitin and calcite and requires another new gene, bsf, which generates silk-like fibers that efficiently bind chitin and aggregate calcite in the aquatic environment. Our findings highlight the importance of exploring new genes in unique adaptative scenarios, and the results will provide important insights into gene origin and material development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaofang Han
- State Key Laboratory of Mariculture Breeding, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Zhixuan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Daniel Rittschof
- Division of Marine Science and Conservation, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Beaufort, NC, USA
| | - Zekun Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Liying Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Huanhuan Hao
- State-Province Joint Engineering Laboratory of Marine Bioproducts and Technology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Shanshan Yao
- State-Province Joint Engineering Laboratory of Marine Bioproducts and Technology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Pei Su
- State Key Laboratory of Mariculture Breeding, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Miaoqin Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Mariculture Breeding, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Yuan-Ye Zhang
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
| | - Caihuan Ke
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
| | - Danqing Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Mariculture Breeding, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
- State-Province Joint Engineering Laboratory of Marine Bioproducts and Technology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
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16
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Hu J, Liu C, Du Z, Guo F, Song D, Wang N, Wei Z, Jiang J, Cao Z, Shi C, Zhang S, Zhu C, Chen P, Larkin RM, Lin Z, Xu Q, Ye J, Deng X, Bosch M, Franklin‐Tong VE, Chai L. Transposable elements cause the loss of self-incompatibility in citrus. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2024; 22:1113-1131. [PMID: 38038155 PMCID: PMC11022811 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.14250] [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: 09/10/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Self-incompatibility (SI) is a widespread prezygotic mechanism for flowering plants to avoid inbreeding depression and promote genetic diversity. Citrus has an S-RNase-based SI system, which was frequently lost during evolution. We previously identified a single nucleotide mutation in Sm-RNase, which is responsible for the loss of SI in mandarin and its hybrids. However, little is known about other mechanisms responsible for conversion of SI to self-compatibility (SC) and we identify a completely different mechanism widely utilized by citrus. Here, we found a 786-bp miniature inverted-repeat transposable element (MITE) insertion in the promoter region of the FhiS2-RNase in Fortunella hindsii Swingle (a model plant for citrus gene function), which does not contain the Sm-RNase allele but are still SC. We demonstrate that this MITE plays a pivotal role in the loss of SI in citrus, providing evidence that this MITE insertion prevents expression of the S-RNase; moreover, transgenic experiments show that deletion of this 786-bp MITE insertion recovers the expression of FhiS2-RNase and restores SI. This study identifies the first evidence for a role for MITEs at the S-locus affecting the SI phenotype. A family-wide survey of the S-locus revealed that MITE insertions occur frequently adjacent to S-RNase alleles in different citrus genera, but only certain MITEs appear to be responsible for the loss of SI. Our study provides evidence that insertion of MITEs into a promoter region can alter a breeding strategy and suggests that this phenomenon may be broadly responsible for SC in species with the S-RNase system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianbing Hu
- National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation and Utilization of Horticultural Crops, College of Horticulture and Forestry SciencesHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanP. R. China
- Hubei Hongshan LaboratoryWuhanP. R. China
| | - Chenchen Liu
- National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation and Utilization of Horticultural Crops, College of Horticulture and Forestry SciencesHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanP. R. China
- Hubei Hongshan LaboratoryWuhanP. R. China
| | - Zezhen Du
- National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation and Utilization of Horticultural Crops, College of Horticulture and Forestry SciencesHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanP. R. China
- Hubei Hongshan LaboratoryWuhanP. R. China
| | - Furong Guo
- National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation and Utilization of Horticultural Crops, College of Horticulture and Forestry SciencesHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanP. R. China
| | - Dan Song
- National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation and Utilization of Horticultural Crops, College of Horticulture and Forestry SciencesHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanP. R. China
| | - Nan Wang
- National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation and Utilization of Horticultural Crops, College of Horticulture and Forestry SciencesHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanP. R. China
| | - Zhuangmin Wei
- Guangxi Subtropical Crops Research InstituteNanningP. R. China
| | - Jingdong Jiang
- National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation and Utilization of Horticultural Crops, College of Horticulture and Forestry SciencesHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanP. R. China
| | - Zonghong Cao
- National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation and Utilization of Horticultural Crops, College of Horticulture and Forestry SciencesHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanP. R. China
| | - Chunmei Shi
- National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation and Utilization of Horticultural Crops, College of Horticulture and Forestry SciencesHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanP. R. China
| | - Siqi Zhang
- National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation and Utilization of Horticultural Crops, College of Horticulture and Forestry SciencesHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanP. R. China
| | - Chenqiao Zhu
- National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation and Utilization of Horticultural Crops, College of Horticulture and Forestry SciencesHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanP. R. China
| | - Peng Chen
- Horticultural Institute, Hunan Academy of Agricultural SciencesChangshaChina
| | - Robert M. Larkin
- National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation and Utilization of Horticultural Crops, College of Horticulture and Forestry SciencesHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanP. R. China
- Hubei Hongshan LaboratoryWuhanP. R. China
| | - Zongcheng Lin
- National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation and Utilization of Horticultural Crops, College of Horticulture and Forestry SciencesHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanP. R. China
- Hubei Hongshan LaboratoryWuhanP. R. China
| | - Qiang Xu
- National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation and Utilization of Horticultural Crops, College of Horticulture and Forestry SciencesHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanP. R. China
- Hubei Hongshan LaboratoryWuhanP. R. China
| | - Junli Ye
- National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation and Utilization of Horticultural Crops, College of Horticulture and Forestry SciencesHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanP. R. China
| | - Xiuxin Deng
- National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation and Utilization of Horticultural Crops, College of Horticulture and Forestry SciencesHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanP. R. China
- Hubei Hongshan LaboratoryWuhanP. R. China
| | - Maurice Bosch
- Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS)Aberystwyth UniversityAberystwythUK
| | | | - Lijun Chai
- National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation and Utilization of Horticultural Crops, College of Horticulture and Forestry SciencesHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanP. R. China
- Hubei Hongshan LaboratoryWuhanP. R. China
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17
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Chu C, Ljungström V, Tran A, Jin H, Park PJ. Contribution of de novo retroelements to birth defects and childhood cancers. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2024:2024.04.15.24305733. [PMID: 38699361 PMCID: PMC11065029 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.15.24305733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
Insertion of active retroelements-L1s, Alus, and SVAs-can disrupt proper genome function and lead to various disorders including cancer. However, the role of de novo retroelements (DNRTs) in birth defects and childhood cancers has not been well characterized due to the lack of adequate data and efficient computational tools. Here, we examine whole-genome sequencing data of 3,244 trios from 12 birth defect and childhood cancer cohorts in the Gabriella Miller Kids First Pediatric Research Program. Using an improved version of our tool xTea (x-Transposable element analyzer) that incorporates a deep-learning module, we identified 162 DNRTs, as well as 2 pseudogene insertions. Several variants are likely to be causal, such as a de novo Alu insertion that led to the ablation of a whole exon in the NF1 gene in a proband with brain tumor. We observe a high de novo SVA insertion burden in both high-intolerance loss-of-function genes and exons as well as more frequent de novo Alu insertions of paternal origin. We also identify potential mosaic DNRTs from embryonic stages. Our study reveals the important roles of DNRTs in causing birth defects and predisposition to childhood cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chong Chu
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Viktor Ljungström
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Antuan Tran
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hu Jin
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Peter J. Park
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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18
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Garza AB, Lerat E, Girgis HZ. Look4LTRs: a Long terminal repeat retrotransposon detection tool capable of cross species studies and discovering recently nested repeats. Mob DNA 2024; 15:8. [PMID: 38627766 PMCID: PMC11020628 DOI: 10.1186/s13100-024-00317-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Plant genomes include large numbers of transposable elements. One particular type of these elements is flanked by two Long Terminal Repeats (LTRs) and can translocate using RNA. Such elements are known as LTR-retrotransposons; they are the most abundant type of transposons in plant genomes. They have many important functions involving gene regulation and the rise of new genes and pseudo genes in response to severe stress. Additionally, LTR-retrotransposons have several applications in biotechnology. Due to the abundance and the importance of LTR-retrotransposons, multiple computational tools have been developed for their detection. However, none of these tools take advantages of the availability of related genomes; they process one chromosome at a time. Further, recently nested LTR-retrotransposons (multiple elements of the same family are inserted into each other) cannot be annotated accurately - or cannot be annotated at all - by the currently available tools. Motivated to overcome these two limitations, we built Look4LTRs, which can annotate LTR-retrotransposons in multiple related genomes simultaneously and discover recently nested elements. The methodology of Look4LTRs depends on techniques imported from the signal-processing field, graph algorithms, and machine learning with a minimal use of alignment algorithms. Four plant genomes were used in developing Look4LTRs and eight plant genomes for evaluating it in contrast to three related tools. Look4LTRs is the fastest while maintaining better or comparable F1 scores (the harmonic average of recall and precision) to those obtained by the other tools. Our results demonstrate the added benefit of annotating LTR-retrotransposons in multiple related genomes simultaneously and the ability to discover recently nested elements. Expert human manual examination of six elements - not included in the ground truth - revealed that three elements belong to known families and two elements are likely from new families. With respect to examining recently nested LTR-retrotransposons, three out of five were confirmed to be valid elements. Look4LTRs - with its speed, accuracy, and novel features - represents a true advancement in the annotation of LTR-retrotransposons, opening the door to many studies focused on understanding their functions in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony B Garza
- Bioinformatics Toolsmith Laboratory, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Texas A &M University-Kingsville, Kingsville, Texas, USA
| | - Emmanuelle Lerat
- The Biometrics and Evolutionary Biology Laboratory, University Lyon 1, Lyon, France
| | - Hani Z Girgis
- Bioinformatics Toolsmith Laboratory, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Texas A &M University-Kingsville, Kingsville, Texas, USA.
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19
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Chen G, Yu D, Yang Y, Li X, Wang X, Sun D, Lu Y, Ke R, Zhang G, Cui J, Feng S. Adaptive expansion of ERVK solo-LTRs is associated with Passeriformes speciation events. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3151. [PMID: 38605055 PMCID: PMC11009239 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47501-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) are ancient retroviral remnants integrated in host genomes, and commonly deleted through unequal homologous recombination, leaving solitary long terminal repeats (solo-LTRs). This study, analysing the genomes of 362 bird species and their reptilian and mammalian outgroups, reveals an unusually higher level of solo-LTRs formation in birds, indicating evolutionary forces might have purged ERVs during evolution. Strikingly in the order Passeriformes, and especially the parvorder Passerida, endogenous retrovirus K (ERVK) solo-LTRs showed bursts of formation and recurrent accumulations coinciding with speciation events over past 22 million years. Moreover, our results indicate that the ongoing expansion of ERVK solo-LTRs in these bird species, marked by high transcriptional activity of ERVK retroviral genes in reproductive organs, caused variation of solo-LTRs between individual zebra finches. We experimentally demonstrated that cis-regulatory activity of recently evolved ERVK solo-LTRs may significantly increase the expression level of ITGA2 in the brain of zebra finches compared to chickens. These findings suggest that ERVK solo-LTRs expansion may introduce novel genomic sequences acting as cis-regulatory elements and contribute to adaptive evolution. Overall, our results underscore that the residual sequences of ancient retroviruses could influence the adaptive diversification of species by regulating host gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangji Chen
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Center for Evolutionary & Organismal Biology, Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- BGI Research, Wuhan, China
| | - Dan Yu
- Center for Evolutionary & Organismal Biology, Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Center for Genomic Research, International Institutes of Medicine, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yu Yang
- School of Medicine, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361021, China
| | - Xiang Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology & Immunology, Shanghai Institute of Immunity and Infection, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaojing Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology & Immunology, Shanghai Institute of Immunity and Infection, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Danyang Sun
- Center for Evolutionary & Organismal Biology, Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Center for Genomic Research, International Institutes of Medicine, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yanlin Lu
- Center for Evolutionary & Organismal Biology, Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Center for Genomic Research, International Institutes of Medicine, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu, Zhejiang, China
| | - Rongqin Ke
- School of Medicine, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361021, China
| | - Guojie Zhang
- Center for Evolutionary & Organismal Biology, Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta, Zhejiang University, Jiashan, China
| | - Jie Cui
- Department of Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Institute of Infection and Health Research, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao Marine Science and Technology Center, Qingdao, China.
- Shanghai Sci-Tech Inno Center for Infection & Immunity, Shanghai, 200052, China.
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Biosafety Emergency Response, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Shaohong Feng
- Center for Evolutionary & Organismal Biology, Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
- Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta, Zhejiang University, Jiashan, China.
- Department of General Surgery of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
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20
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Bell CG. Epigenomic insights into common human disease pathology. Cell Mol Life Sci 2024; 81:178. [PMID: 38602535 PMCID: PMC11008083 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-024-05206-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
The epigenome-the chemical modifications and chromatin-related packaging of the genome-enables the same genetic template to be activated or repressed in different cellular settings. This multi-layered mechanism facilitates cell-type specific function by setting the local sequence and 3D interactive activity level. Gene transcription is further modulated through the interplay with transcription factors and co-regulators. The human body requires this epigenomic apparatus to be precisely installed throughout development and then adequately maintained during the lifespan. The causal role of the epigenome in human pathology, beyond imprinting disorders and specific tumour suppressor genes, was further brought into the spotlight by large-scale sequencing projects identifying that mutations in epigenomic machinery genes could be critical drivers in both cancer and developmental disorders. Abrogation of this cellular mechanism is providing new molecular insights into pathogenesis. However, deciphering the full breadth and implications of these epigenomic changes remains challenging. Knowledge is accruing regarding disease mechanisms and clinical biomarkers, through pathogenically relevant and surrogate tissue analyses, respectively. Advances include consortia generated cell-type specific reference epigenomes, high-throughput DNA methylome association studies, as well as insights into ageing-related diseases from biological 'clocks' constructed by machine learning algorithms. Also, 3rd-generation sequencing is beginning to disentangle the complexity of genetic and DNA modification haplotypes. Cell-free DNA methylation as a cancer biomarker has clear clinical utility and further potential to assess organ damage across many disorders. Finally, molecular understanding of disease aetiology brings with it the opportunity for exact therapeutic alteration of the epigenome through CRISPR-activation or inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher G Bell
- William Harvey Research Institute, Barts & The London Faculty of Medicine, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, London, EC1M 6BQ, UK.
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21
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Huang Y, Lee YCG. Blessing or curse: how the epigenetic resolution of host-transposable element conflicts shapes their evolutionary dynamics. Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20232775. [PMID: 38593848 PMCID: PMC11003778 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.2775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) are selfish genetic elements whose antagonistic interactions with hosts represent a common genetic conflict in eukaryotes. To resolve this conflict, hosts have widely adopted epigenetic silencing that deposits repressive marks at TEs. However, this mechanism is imperfect and fails to fully halt TE replication. Furthermore, TE epigenetic silencing can inadvertently spread repressive marks to adjacent functional sequences, a phenomenon considered a 'curse' of this conflict resolution. Here, we used forward simulations to explore how TE epigenetic silencing and its harmful side effects shape the evolutionary dynamics of TEs and their hosts. Our findings reveal that epigenetic silencing allows TEs and their hosts to stably coexist under a wide range of conditions, because the underlying molecular mechanisms give rise to copy-number dependency of the strength of TE silencing. Interestingly, contrary to intuitive expectations that TE epigenetic silencing should evolve to be as strong as possible, we found a selective benefit for modifier alleles that weaken TE silencing under biologically feasible conditions. These results reveal that the dual nature of TE epigenetic silencing, with both positive and negative effects, complicates its evolutionary trajectory and makes it challenging to determine whether TE epigenetic silencing is a 'blessing' or a 'curse'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuheng Huang
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, USA
| | - Yuh Chwen G. Lee
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, USA
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22
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Gonzalez P, Hauck QC, Baxevanis AD. Conserved Noncoding Elements Evolve Around the Same Genes Throughout Metazoan Evolution. Genome Biol Evol 2024; 16:evae052. [PMID: 38502060 PMCID: PMC10988421 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evae052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Conserved noncoding elements (CNEs) are DNA sequences located outside of protein-coding genes that can remain under purifying selection for up to hundreds of millions of years. Studies in vertebrate genomes have revealed that most CNEs carry out regulatory functions. Notably, many of them are enhancers that control the expression of homeodomain transcription factors and other genes that play crucial roles in embryonic development. To further our knowledge of CNEs in other parts of the animal tree, we conducted a large-scale characterization of CNEs in more than 50 genomes from three of the main branches of the metazoan tree: Cnidaria, Mollusca, and Arthropoda. We identified hundreds of thousands of CNEs and reconstructed the temporal dynamics of their appearance in each lineage, as well as determining their spatial distribution across genomes. We show that CNEs evolve repeatedly around the same genes across the Metazoa, including around homeodomain genes and other transcription factors; they also evolve repeatedly around genes involved in neural development. We also show that transposons are a major source of CNEs, confirming previous observations from vertebrates and suggesting that they have played a major role in wiring developmental gene regulatory mechanisms since the dawn of animal evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Gonzalez
- Center for Genomics and Data Science Research, Division of Intramural Research, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Quinn C Hauck
- Center for Genomics and Data Science Research, Division of Intramural Research, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Andreas D Baxevanis
- Center for Genomics and Data Science Research, Division of Intramural Research, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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23
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Baril T, Galbraith J, Hayward A. Earl Grey: A Fully Automated User-Friendly Transposable Element Annotation and Analysis Pipeline. Mol Biol Evol 2024; 41:msae068. [PMID: 38577785 PMCID: PMC11003543 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msae068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) are major components of eukaryotic genomes and are implicated in a range of evolutionary processes. Yet, TE annotation and characterization remain challenging, particularly for nonspecialists, since existing pipelines are typically complicated to install, run, and extract data from. Current methods of automated TE annotation are also subject to issues that reduce overall quality, particularly (i) fragmented and overlapping TE annotations, leading to erroneous estimates of TE count and coverage, and (ii) repeat models represented by short sections of total TE length, with poor capture of 5' and 3' ends. To address these issues, we present Earl Grey, a fully automated TE annotation pipeline designed for user-friendly curation and annotation of TEs in eukaryotic genome assemblies. Using nine simulated genomes and an annotation of Drosophila melanogaster, we show that Earl Grey outperforms current widely used TE annotation methodologies in ameliorating the issues mentioned above while scoring highly in benchmarking for TE annotation and classification and being robust across genomic contexts. Earl Grey provides a comprehensive and fully automated TE annotation toolkit that provides researchers with paper-ready summary figures and outputs in standard formats compatible with other bioinformatics tools. Earl Grey has a modular format, with great scope for the inclusion of additional modules focused on further quality control and tailored analyses in future releases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Baril
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Cornwall TR10 9FE, UK
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Genetics, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, 2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - James Galbraith
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Cornwall TR10 9FE, UK
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FL, UK
| | - Alex Hayward
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Cornwall TR10 9FE, UK
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24
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Almeida MV, Blumer M, Yuan CU, Sierra P, Price JL, Quah FX, Friman A, Dallaire A, Vernaz G, Putman ALK, Smith AM, Joyce DA, Butter F, Haase AD, Durbin R, Santos ME, Miska EA. Dynamic co-evolution of transposable elements and the piRNA pathway in African cichlid fishes. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.01.587621. [PMID: 38617250 PMCID: PMC11014572 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.01.587621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
East African cichlid fishes have diversified in an explosive fashion, but the (epi)genetic basis of the phenotypic diversity of these fishes remains largely unknown. Although transposable elements (TEs) have been associated with phenotypic variation in cichlids, little is known about their transcriptional activity and epigenetic silencing. Here, we describe dynamic patterns of TE expression in African cichlid gonads and during early development. Orthology inference revealed an expansion of piwil1 genes in Lake Malawi cichlids, likely driven by PiggyBac TEs. The expanded piwil1 copies have signatures of positive selection and retain amino acid residues essential for catalytic activity. Furthermore, the gonads of African cichlids express a Piwi-interacting RNA (piRNA) pathway that target TEs. We define the genomic sites of piRNA production in African cichlids and find divergence in closely related species, in line with fast evolution of piRNA-producing loci. Our findings suggest dynamic co-evolution of TEs and host silencing pathways in the African cichlid radiations. We propose that this co-evolution has contributed to cichlid genomic diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Vasconcelos Almeida
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1GA, UK
- Wellcome/CRUK Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1QN, UK
| | - Moritz Blumer
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EH, UK
- These authors contributed equally
| | - Chengwei Ulrika Yuan
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1GA, UK
- Wellcome/CRUK Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1QN, UK
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EH, UK
- These authors contributed equally
| | - Pío Sierra
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EH, UK
| | - Jonathan L. Price
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1GA, UK
- Wellcome/CRUK Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1QN, UK
| | - Fu Xiang Quah
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1GA, UK
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EH, UK
| | - Aleksandr Friman
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- Biophysics Graduate Program, Institute for Physical Science and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA
| | - Alexandra Dallaire
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1GA, UK
- Wellcome/CRUK Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1QN, UK
- Comparative Fungal Biology, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Jodrell Laboratory, Richmond TW9 3DS, UK
| | - Grégoire Vernaz
- Wellcome/CRUK Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1QN, UK
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EH, UK
- Present address: Zoological Institute, Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Basel, Vesalgasse 1, Basel, 4051, Switzerland
| | - Audrey L. K. Putman
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1GA, UK
- Wellcome/CRUK Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1QN, UK
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EH, UK
| | - Alan M. Smith
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Hull, Hull, HU6 7RX, UK
| | - Domino A. Joyce
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Hull, Hull, HU6 7RX, UK
| | - Falk Butter
- Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), Quantitative Proteomics, Ackermannweg 4, Mainz, 55128, Germany
- Institute of Molecular Virology and Cell Biology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Südufer, Greifswald, 17493, Germany
| | - Astrid D. Haase
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Richard Durbin
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EH, UK
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Tree of Life, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - M. Emília Santos
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, UK
| | - Eric A. Miska
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1GA, UK
- Wellcome/CRUK Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1QN, UK
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Tree of Life, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, CB10 1SA, UK
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25
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Lee M, Ahmad SF, Xu J. Regulation and function of transposable elements in cancer genomes. Cell Mol Life Sci 2024; 81:157. [PMID: 38556602 PMCID: PMC10982106 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-024-05195-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
Over half of human genomic DNA is composed of repetitive sequences generated throughout evolution by prolific mobile genetic parasites called transposable elements (TEs). Long disregarded as "junk" or "selfish" DNA, TEs are increasingly recognized as formative elements in genome evolution, wired intimately into the structure and function of the human genome. Advances in sequencing technologies and computational methods have ushered in an era of unprecedented insight into how TE activity impacts human biology in health and disease. Here we discuss the current views on how TEs have shaped the regulatory landscape of the human genome, how TE activity is implicated in human cancers, and how recent findings motivate novel strategies to leverage TE activity for improved cancer therapy. Given the crucial role of methodological advances in TE biology, we pair our conceptual discussions with an in-depth review of the inherent technical challenges in studying repeats, specifically related to structural variation, expression analyses, and chromatin regulation. Lastly, we provide a catalog of existing and emerging assays and bioinformatic software that altogether are enabling the most sophisticated and comprehensive investigations yet into the regulation and function of interspersed repeats in cancer genomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Lee
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 6000 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX, 75390, USA.
| | - Syed Farhan Ahmad
- Department of Pathology, Center of Excellence for Leukemia Studies, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place - MS 345, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Jian Xu
- Department of Pathology, Center of Excellence for Leukemia Studies, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place - MS 345, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA.
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26
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Jiang J, Xu YC, Zhang ZQ, Chen JF, Niu XM, Hou XH, Li XT, Wang L, Zhang YE, Ge S, Guo YL. Forces driving transposable element load variation during Arabidopsis range expansion. THE PLANT CELL 2024; 36:840-862. [PMID: 38036296 PMCID: PMC10980350 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koad296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Genetic load refers to the accumulated and potentially life-threatening deleterious mutations in populations. Understanding the mechanisms underlying genetic load variation of transposable element (TE) insertion, a major large-effect mutation, during range expansion is an intriguing question in biology. Here, we used 1,115 global natural accessions of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) to study the driving forces of TE load variation during its range expansion. TE load increased with range expansion, especially in the recently established Yangtze River basin population. Effective population size, which explains 62.0% of the variance in TE load, high transposition rate, and selective sweeps contributed to TE accumulation in the expanded populations. We genetically mapped and identified multiple candidate causal genes and TEs, and revealed the genetic architecture of TE load variation. Overall, this study reveals the variation in TE genetic load during Arabidopsis expansion and highlights the causes of TE load variation from the perspectives of both population genetics and quantitative genetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
- China National Botanical Garden, Beijing 100093, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yong-Chao Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
- China National Botanical Garden, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Zhi-Qin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
- China National Botanical Garden, Beijing 100093, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jia-Fu Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
- China National Botanical Garden, Beijing 100093, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xiao-Min Niu
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
- China National Botanical Garden, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Xing-Hui Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
- China National Botanical Garden, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Xin-Tong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
- China National Botanical Garden, Beijing 100093, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Li Wang
- Agricultural Synthetic Biology Center, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen 518000, China
| | - Yong E Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents & Key Laboratory of the Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Song Ge
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
- China National Botanical Garden, Beijing 100093, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Ya-Long Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
- China National Botanical Garden, Beijing 100093, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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27
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Chen M, Huang X, Wang C, Wang S, Jia L, Li L. Endogenous retroviral solo-LTRs in human genome. Front Genet 2024; 15:1358078. [PMID: 38606358 PMCID: PMC11007075 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2024.1358078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) are derived from the infection and integration of exogenetic retroviruses. HERVs account for 8% of human genome, and the majority of HERVs are solitary LTRs (solo-LTRs) due to homologous recombination. Multiple findings have showed that solo-LTRs could provide an enormous reservoir of transcriptional regulatory sequences involved in diverse biological processes, especially carcinogenesis and cancer development. The link between solo-LTRs and human diseases still remains poorly understood. This review focuses on the regulatory modules of solo-LTRs, which contribute greatly to the diversification and evolution of human genes. More importantly, although inactivating mutations, insertions and deletions have been identified in solo-LTRs, the inherited regulatory elements of solo-LTRs initiate the expression of chimeric lncRNA transcripts, which have been reported to play crucial roles in human health and disease. These findings provide valuable insights into the evolutionary and functional mechanisms underlying the presence of HERVs in human genome. Taken together, in this review, we will present evidences showing the regulatory and encoding capacity of solo-LTRs as well as the significant impact on various aspects of human biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingyue Chen
- National 111 Center for Cellular Regulation and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Key Laboratory of Fermentation Engineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xiaolong Huang
- National 111 Center for Cellular Regulation and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Key Laboratory of Fermentation Engineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Chunlei Wang
- Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medicine, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
- Department of Virology, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing, China
| | - Shibo Wang
- National 111 Center for Cellular Regulation and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Key Laboratory of Fermentation Engineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Lei Jia
- Department of Virology, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing, China
| | - Lin Li
- Department of Virology, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing, China
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28
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Chang NC, Wells JN, Wang AY, Schofield P, Huang YC, Truong VH, Simoes-Costa M, Feschotte C. Gag proteins encoded by endogenous retroviruses are required for zebrafish development. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.25.586437. [PMID: 38585793 PMCID: PMC10996621 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.25.586437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) make up the bulk of eukaryotic genomes and examples abound of TE-derived sequences repurposed for organismal function. The process by which TEs become coopted remains obscure because most cases involve ancient, transpositionally inactive elements. Reports of active TEs serving beneficial functions are scarce and often contentious due to difficulties in manipulating repetitive sequences. Here we show that recently active TEs in zebrafish encode products critical for embryonic development. Knockdown and rescue experiments demonstrate that the endogenous retrovirus family BHIKHARI-1 (Bik-1) encodes a Gag protein essential for mesoderm development. Mechanistically, Bik-1 Gag associates with the cell membrane and its ectopic expression in chicken embryos alters cell migration. Similarly, depletion of BHIKHARI-2 Gag, a relative of Bik-1, causes defects in neural crest development in zebrafish. We propose an "addiction" model to explain how active TEs can be integrated into conserved developmental processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ni-Chen Chang
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - Jonathan N Wells
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - Andrew Y Wang
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - Phillip Schofield
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - Yi-Chia Huang
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Pathology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Vinh H Truong
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - Marcos Simoes-Costa
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Pathology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Cédric Feschotte
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
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29
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Abraham LN, Oggenfuss U, Croll D. Population-level transposable element expression dynamics influence trait evolution in a fungal crop pathogen. mBio 2024; 15:e0284023. [PMID: 38349152 PMCID: PMC10936205 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02840-23] [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: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The rapid adaptive evolution of microbes is driven by strong selection pressure acting on genetic variation. How adaptive genetic variation is generated within species and how such variation influences phenotypic trait expression is often not well understood though. We focused on the recent activity of transposable elements (TEs) using deep population genomics and transcriptomics analyses of a fungal plant pathogen with a highly active content of TEs in the genome. Zymoseptoria tritici causes one of the most damaging diseases on wheat, with recent adaptation to the host and environment being facilitated by TE-associated mutations. We obtained genomic and RNA-sequencing data from 146 isolates collected from a single wheat field. We established a genome-wide map of TE insertion polymorphisms in the population by analyzing recent TE insertions among individuals. We quantified the locus-specific transcription of individual TE copies and found considerable population variation at individual TE loci in the population. About 20% of all TE copies show transcription in the genome suggesting that genomic defenses such as repressive epigenetic marks and repeat-induced polymorphisms are at least partially ineffective at preventing the proliferation of TEs in the genome. A quarter of recent TE insertions are associated with expression variation of neighboring genes providing broad potential to influence trait expression. We indeed found that TE insertions are likely responsible for variation in virulence on the host and potentially diverse components of secondary metabolite production. Our large-scale transcriptomics study emphasizes how TE-derived polymorphisms segregate even in individual microbial populations and can broadly underpin trait variation in pathogens.IMPORTANCEPathogens can rapidly adapt to new hosts, antimicrobials, or changes in the environment. Adaptation arises often from mutations in the genome; however, how such variation is generated remains poorly understood. We investigated the most dynamic regions of the genome of Zymoseptoria tritici, a major fungal pathogen of wheat. We focused on the transcription of transposable elements. A large proportion of the transposable elements not only show signatures of potential activity but are also variable within a single population of the pathogen. We find that this variation in activity is likely influencing many important traits of the pathogen. Hence, our work provides insights into how a microbial species can adapt over the shortest time periods based on the activity of transposable elements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leen Nanchira Abraham
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Genetics, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Ursula Oggenfuss
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Genetics, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Daniel Croll
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Genetics, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
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30
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Li W, Chu C, Li H, Zhang H, Sun H, Wang S, Wang Z, Li Y, Foster TM, López-Girona E, Yu J, Li Y, Ma Y, Zhang K, Han Y, Zhou B, Fan X, Xiong Y, Deng CH, Wang Y, Xu X, Han Z. Near-gapless and haplotype-resolved apple genomes provide insights into the genetic basis of rootstock-induced dwarfing. Nat Genet 2024; 56:505-516. [PMID: 38347217 DOI: 10.1038/s41588-024-01657-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/16/2024]
Abstract
Dwarfing rootstocks have transformed the production of cultivated apples; however, the genetic basis of rootstock-induced dwarfing remains largely unclear. We have assembled chromosome-level, near-gapless and haplotype-resolved genomes for the popular dwarfing rootstock 'M9', the semi-vigorous rootstock 'MM106' and 'Fuji', one of the most commonly grown apple cultivars. The apple orthologue of auxin response factor 3 (MdARF3) is in the Dw1 region of 'M9', the major locus for rootstock-induced dwarfing. Comparing 'M9' and 'MM106' genomes revealed a 9,723-bp allele-specific long terminal repeat retrotransposon/gypsy insertion, DwTE, located upstream of MdARF3. DwTE is cosegregated with the dwarfing trait in two segregating populations, suggesting its prospective utility in future dwarfing rootstock breeding. In addition, our pipeline discovered mobile mRNAs that may contribute to the development of dwarfed scion architecture. Our research provides valuable genomic resources and applicable methodology, which have the potential to accelerate breeding dwarfing rootstocks for apple and other perennial woody fruit trees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Li
- Institute for Horticultural Plants, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Chong Chu
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Hui Li
- Institute for Horticultural Plants, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Hengtao Zhang
- Zhengzhou Fruit Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Haochen Sun
- Institute for Horticultural Plants, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Shiyao Wang
- Institute for Horticultural Plants, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Zijun Wang
- Institute for Horticultural Plants, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Yuqi Li
- Institute for Horticultural Plants, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Toshi M Foster
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited (Plant & Food Research), Motueka, New Zealand
| | - Elena López-Girona
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited (Plant & Food Research), Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Jiaxin Yu
- Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yi Li
- Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Yue Ma
- College of Horticulture, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
| | - Ke Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of North China Crop Improvement and Regulation; Key Laboratory of Crop Growth Regulation of Hebei Province, College of Agronomy, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, China
| | - Yongming Han
- College of Information Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Bowen Zhou
- Institute for Horticultural Plants, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Xingqiang Fan
- Institute for Horticultural Plants, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Yao Xiong
- Institute for Horticultural Plants, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Cecilia H Deng
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited (Plant & Food Research), Auckland, New Zealand.
| | - Yi Wang
- Institute for Horticultural Plants, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
| | - Xuefeng Xu
- Institute for Horticultural Plants, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhenhai Han
- Institute for Horticultural Plants, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
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31
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Garcia S, Kovarik A, Maiwald S, Mann L, Schmidt N, Pascual-Díaz JP, Vitales D, Weber B, Heitkam T. The Dynamic Interplay Between Ribosomal DNA and Transposable Elements: A Perspective From Genomics and Cytogenetics. Mol Biol Evol 2024; 41:msae025. [PMID: 38306580 PMCID: PMC10946416 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msae025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Although both are salient features of genomes, at first glance ribosomal DNAs and transposable elements are genetic elements with not much in common: whereas ribosomal DNAs are mainly viewed as housekeeping genes that uphold all prime genome functions, transposable elements are generally portrayed as selfish and disruptive. These opposing characteristics are also mirrored in other attributes: organization in tandem (ribosomal DNAs) versus organization in a dispersed manner (transposable elements); evolution in a concerted manner (ribosomal DNAs) versus evolution by diversification (transposable elements); and activity that prolongs genomic stability (ribosomal DNAs) versus activity that shortens it (transposable elements). Re-visiting relevant instances in which ribosomal DNA-transposable element interactions have been reported, we note that both repeat types share at least four structural and functional hallmarks: (1) they are repetitive DNAs that shape genomes in evolutionary timescales, (2) they exchange structural motifs and can enter co-evolution processes, (3) they are tightly controlled genomic stress sensors playing key roles in senescence/aging, and (4) they share common epigenetic marks such as DNA methylation and histone modification. Here, we give an overview of the structural, functional, and evolutionary characteristics of both ribosomal DNAs and transposable elements, discuss their roles and interactions, and highlight trends and future directions as we move forward in understanding ribosomal DNA-transposable element associations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sònia Garcia
- Institut Botànic de Barcelona (IBB), CSIC-CMCNB, 08038 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Ales Kovarik
- Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, 61265 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Sophie Maiwald
- Faculty of Biology, Technische Universität Dresden, D-01069 Dresden, Germany
| | - Ludwig Mann
- Faculty of Biology, Technische Universität Dresden, D-01069 Dresden, Germany
| | - Nicola Schmidt
- Faculty of Biology, Technische Universität Dresden, D-01069 Dresden, Germany
| | | | - Daniel Vitales
- Institut Botànic de Barcelona (IBB), CSIC-CMCNB, 08038 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- Laboratori de Botànica–Unitat Associada CSIC, Facultat de Farmàcia i Ciències de l’Alimentació, Universitat de Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Beatrice Weber
- Faculty of Biology, Technische Universität Dresden, D-01069 Dresden, Germany
| | - Tony Heitkam
- Faculty of Biology, Technische Universität Dresden, D-01069 Dresden, Germany
- Institute of Biology, NAWI Graz, Karl-Franzens-Universität, A-8010 Graz, Austria
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32
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Sullivan AC, Zuniga G, Ramirez P, Fernandez R, Wang CP, Li J, Davila L, Pelton K, Gomez S, Sohn C, Gonzalez E, Lopez-Cruzan M, Gonzalez DA, Parker A, Zilli E, de Erausquin GA, Seshadri S, Espinoza S, Musi N, Frost B. A pilot study to investigate the safety and feasibility of antiretroviral therapy for Alzheimer's disease (ART-AD). MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2024:2024.02.26.24303316. [PMID: 38464267 PMCID: PMC10925371 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.26.24303316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
Retrotransposons are viral-like DNA sequences that constitute approximately 41% of the human genome. Studies in Drosophila, mice, cultured cells, and human brain indicate that retrotransposons are activated in settings of tauopathy, including Alzheimer's disease, and causally drive neurodegeneration. The anti-retroviral medication 3TC (lamivudine), a nucleoside analog reverse transcriptase inhibitor, limits retrotransposon activation and suppresses neurodegeneration in tau transgenic Drosophila, two mouse models of tauopathy, and in brain assembloids derived from patients with sporadic Alzheimer's disease. We performed a 24-week phase 2a open-label clinical trial of 300 mg daily oral 3TC (NCT04552795) in 12 participants aged 52-83 years with a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment due to suspected Alzheimer's disease. Primary outcomes included feasibility, blood brain barrier penetration, effects of 3TC on reverse transcriptase activity in the periphery, and safety. Secondary outcomes included changes in cognition and fluid-based biomarkers of neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation. All participants completed the six-month trial; one event of gastrointestinal bleeding due to a peptic ulcer was reported. 3TC was detected in blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of all participants, suggestive of adherence to study drug and effective brain penetration. Cognitive measures remained stable throughout the study. Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) (P=0.03) and Flt1 (P=0.05) were significantly reduced in CSF over the treatment period; Aβ42/40 (P=0.009) and IL-15 (P=0.006) were significantly elevated in plasma. While this is an open label study of small sample size, the significant decrease of some neurodegeneration- and neuroinflammation-related biomarkers in CSF, significantly elevated levels of plasma Aβ42/40, and a trending decrease of CSF NfL after six months of 3TC exposure suggest a beneficial effect on subjects with mild cognitive impairment due to suspected Alzheimer's disease. Feasibility, safety, tolerability, and central nervous system (CNS) penetration assessments further support clinical evaluation of 3TC in a larger placebo-controlled, multi-dose clinical trial.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. Campbell Sullivan
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Health San Antonio
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Health San Antonio
| | - Gabrielle Zuniga
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Health San Antonio
- Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, University of Texas Health San Antonio
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, University of Texas Health San Antonio
| | - Paulino Ramirez
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Health San Antonio
- Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, University of Texas Health San Antonio
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, University of Texas Health San Antonio
| | - Roman Fernandez
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Health San Antonio
- Department of Population Health Sciences, University of Texas Health San Antonio
| | - Chen-Pin Wang
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Health San Antonio
- Department of Population Health Sciences, University of Texas Health San Antonio
| | - Ji Li
- Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, University of Texas Health San Antonio
| | - Lisa Davila
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Health San Antonio
- Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, University of Texas Health San Antonio
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, University of Texas Health San Antonio
| | - Kristine Pelton
- Brown University Center for Alzheimer’s Disease Research, Providence, RI
| | - Sandra Gomez
- Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, University of Texas Health San Antonio
- Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
| | - Claira Sohn
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Health San Antonio
- Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, University of Texas Health San Antonio
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, University of Texas Health San Antonio
| | - Elias Gonzalez
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Health San Antonio
- Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, University of Texas Health San Antonio
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, University of Texas Health San Antonio
| | - Marisa Lopez-Cruzan
- Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, University of Texas Health San Antonio
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health San Antonio
| | - David A. Gonzalez
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Health San Antonio
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Health San Antonio
- Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush University Medical Center
| | - Alicia Parker
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Health San Antonio
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Health San Antonio
| | - Eduardo Zilli
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Health San Antonio
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Health San Antonio
| | - Gabriel A. de Erausquin
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Health San Antonio
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Health San Antonio
| | - Sudha Seshadri
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Health San Antonio
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Health San Antonio
| | | | - Nicolas Musi
- Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
| | - Bess Frost
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Health San Antonio
- Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, University of Texas Health San Antonio
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, University of Texas Health San Antonio
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33
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Le Breton A, Bettencourt MP, Gendrel AV. Navigating the brain and aging: exploring the impact of transposable elements from health to disease. Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 12:1357576. [PMID: 38476259 PMCID: PMC10927736 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2024.1357576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) are mobile genetic elements that constitute on average 45% of mammalian genomes. Their presence and activity in genomes represent a major source of genetic variability. While this is an important driver of genome evolution, TEs can also have deleterious effects on their hosts. A growing number of studies have focused on the role of TEs in the brain, both in physiological and pathological contexts. In the brain, their activity is believed to be important for neuronal plasticity. In neurological and age-related disorders, aberrant activity of TEs may contribute to disease etiology, although this remains unclear. After providing a comprehensive overview of transposable elements and their interactions with the host, this review summarizes the current understanding of TE activity within the brain, during the aging process, and in the context of neurological and age-related conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Anne-Valerie Gendrel
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
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34
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Aversano R, Iovene M, Esposito S, L'Abbate A, Villano C, Di Serio E, Cardone MF, Bergamini C, Cigliano RA, D'Amelia V, Frusciante L, Carputo D. Distinct structural variants and repeat landscape shape the genomes of the ancient grapes Aglianico and Falanghina. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2024; 24:88. [PMID: 38317087 PMCID: PMC10845522 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-024-04778-2] [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: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
Mounting evidence recognizes structural variations (SVs) and repetitive DNA sequences as crucial players in shaping the existing grape phenotypic diversity at intra- and inter-species levels. To deepen our understanding on the abundance, diversity, and distribution of SVs and repetitive DNAs, including transposable elements (TEs) and tandemly repeated satellite DNA (satDNAs), we re-sequenced the genomes of the ancient grapes Aglianico and Falanghina. The analysis of large copy number variants (CNVs) detected candidate polymorphic genes that are involved in the enological features of these varieties. In a comparative analysis of Aglianico and Falanghina sequences with 21 publicly available genomes of cultivated grapes, we provided a genome-wide annotation of grape TEs at the lineage level. We disclosed that at least two main clusters of grape cultivars could be identified based on the TEs content. Multiple TEs families appeared either significantly enriched or depleted. In addition, in silico and cytological analyses provided evidence for a diverse chromosomal distribution of several satellite repeats between Aglianico, Falanghina, and other grapes. Overall, our data further improved our understanding of the intricate grape diversity held by two Italian traditional varieties, unveiling a pool of unique candidate genes never so far exploited in breeding for improved fruit quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riccardo Aversano
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Portici, Italy.
| | - Marina Iovene
- Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources, National Research Council of Italy (CNR-IBBR), Portici, Italy.
| | - Salvatore Esposito
- Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources, National Research Council of Italy (CNR-IBBR), Portici, Italy
- Research Centre for Cereal and Industrial Crops, Council for Agricultural Research and Economics (CREA-CI), Foggia, Italy
| | - Alberto L'Abbate
- Institute of Biomembranes, Bioenergetics, and Molecular Biotechnologies, National Research Council (IBIOM-CNR), Bari, Italy
| | - Clizia Villano
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Portici, Italy
| | - Ermanno Di Serio
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Portici, Italy
| | - Maria Francesca Cardone
- Research Centre for Viticulture and Enology, Council for Agricultural Research and Economics (CREA-VE), Turi, Italy
| | - Carlo Bergamini
- Research Centre for Viticulture and Enology, Council for Agricultural Research and Economics (CREA-VE), Turi, Italy
| | | | - Vincenzo D'Amelia
- Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources, National Research Council of Italy (CNR-IBBR), Portici, Italy
| | - Luigi Frusciante
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Portici, Italy
| | - Domenico Carputo
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Portici, Italy
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35
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Liang Y, Qu X, Shah NM, Wang T. Towards targeting transposable elements for cancer therapy. Nat Rev Cancer 2024; 24:123-140. [PMID: 38228901 DOI: 10.1038/s41568-023-00653-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) represent almost half of the human genome. Historically deemed 'junk DNA', recent technological advancements have stimulated a wave of research into the functional impact of TEs on gene-regulatory networks in evolution and development, as well as in diseases including cancer. The genetic and epigenetic evolution of cancer involves the exploitation of TEs, whereby TEs contribute directly to cancer-specific gene activities. This Review provides a perspective on the role of TEs in cancer as being a 'double-edged sword', both promoting cancer evolution and representing a vulnerability that could be exploited in cancer therapy. We discuss how TEs affect transcriptome regulation and other cellular processes in cancer. We highlight the potential of TEs as therapeutic targets for cancer. We also summarize technical hurdles in the characterization of TEs with genomic assays. Last, we outline open questions and exciting future research avenues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yonghao Liang
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA
- Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Xuan Qu
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA
- Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Nakul M Shah
- Division of Cancer Medicine, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Ting Wang
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA.
- Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA.
- McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA.
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36
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Wang C, Shi Z, Huang Q, Liu R, Su D, Chang L, Xiao C, Fan X. Single-cell analysis of isoform switching and transposable element expression during preimplantation embryonic development. PLoS Biol 2024; 22:e3002505. [PMID: 38363809 PMCID: PMC10903961 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Alternative splicing is an essential regulatory mechanism for development and pathogenesis. Through alternative splicing one gene can encode multiple isoforms and be translated into proteins with different functions. Therefore, this diversity is an important dimension to understand the molecular mechanism governing embryo development. Isoform expression in preimplantation embryos has been extensively investigated, leading to the discovery of new isoforms. However, the dynamics of isoform switching of different types of transcripts throughout the development remains unexplored. Here, using single-cell direct isoform sequencing in over 100 single blastomeres from the mouse oocyte to blastocyst stage, we quantified isoform expression and found that 3-prime partial transcripts lacking stop codons are highly accumulated in oocytes and zygotes. These transcripts are not transcription by-products and might play a role in maternal to zygote transition (MZT) process. Long-read sequencing also enabled us to determine the expression of transposable elements (TEs) at specific loci. In this way, we identified 3,894 TE loci that exhibited dynamic changes along the preimplantation development, likely regulating the expression of adjacent genes. Our work provides novel insights into the transcriptional regulation of early embryo development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaoyang Wang
- GMU-GIBH Joint School of Life Sciences, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou Laboratory, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- The Bioland Laboratory (GuangZhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory), Guangzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhuoxing Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qingpei Huang
- GMU-GIBH Joint School of Life Sciences, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou Laboratory, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- The Bioland Laboratory (GuangZhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory), Guangzhou, China
| | - Rong Liu
- GMU-GIBH Joint School of Life Sciences, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou Laboratory, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- The Bioland Laboratory (GuangZhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory), Guangzhou, China
| | - Dan Su
- GMU-GIBH Joint School of Life Sciences, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou Laboratory, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- The Bioland Laboratory (GuangZhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory), Guangzhou, China
| | - Lei Chang
- GMU-GIBH Joint School of Life Sciences, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou Laboratory, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- The Bioland Laboratory (GuangZhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory), Guangzhou, China
| | - Chuanle Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoying Fan
- GMU-GIBH Joint School of Life Sciences, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou Laboratory, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- The Bioland Laboratory (GuangZhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory), Guangzhou, China
- The Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
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37
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Lykoskoufis NMR, Planet E, Ongen H, Trono D, Dermitzakis ET. Transposable elements mediate genetic effects altering the expression of nearby genes in colorectal cancer. Nat Commun 2024; 15:749. [PMID: 38272908 PMCID: PMC10811328 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42405-0] [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: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) are prevalent repeats in the human genome, play a significant role in the regulome, and their disruption can contribute to tumorigenesis. However, TE influence on gene expression in cancer remains unclear. Here, we analyze 275 normal colon and 276 colorectal cancer samples from the SYSCOL cohort, discovering 10,231 and 5,199 TE-expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) in normal and tumor tissues, respectively, of which 376 are colorectal cancer specific eQTLs, likely due to methylation changes. Tumor-specific TE-eQTLs show greater enrichment of transcription factors, compared to shared TE-eQTLs suggesting specific regulation of their expression in tumor. Bayesian networks reveal 1,766 TEs as mediators of genetic effects, altering the expression of 1,558 genes, including 55 known cancer driver genes and show that tumor-specific TE-eQTLs trigger the driver capability of TEs. These insights expand our knowledge of cancer drivers, deepening our understanding of tumorigenesis and presenting potential avenues for therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolaos M R Lykoskoufis
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva Medical School, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland.
- Institute for Genetics and Genomics in Geneva (iGE3), University of Geneva, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland.
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland.
- NGS-AI JSR Life Sciences, Route de la Corniche 3, 1066, Epalinges, Switzerland.
| | - Evarist Planet
- School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Halit Ongen
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva Medical School, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland
- Institute for Genetics and Genomics in Geneva (iGE3), University of Geneva, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Didier Trono
- School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Emmanouil T Dermitzakis
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva Medical School, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland.
- Institute for Genetics and Genomics in Geneva (iGE3), University of Geneva, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland.
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland.
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38
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Liu Y, Tan Y, Zhang Z, Yi M, Zhu L, Peng W. The interaction between ageing and Alzheimer's disease: insights from the hallmarks of ageing. Transl Neurodegener 2024; 13:7. [PMID: 38254235 PMCID: PMC10804662 DOI: 10.1186/s40035-024-00397-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 12/31/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Ageing is a crucial risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD) and is characterised by systemic changes in both intracellular and extracellular microenvironments that affect the entire body instead of a single organ. Understanding the specific mechanisms underlying the role of ageing in disease development can facilitate the treatment of ageing-related diseases, such as AD. Signs of brain ageing have been observed in both AD patients and animal models. Alleviating the pathological changes caused by brain ageing can dramatically ameliorate the amyloid beta- and tau-induced neuropathological and memory impairments, indicating that ageing plays a crucial role in the pathophysiological process of AD. In this review, we summarize the impact of several age-related factors on AD and propose that preventing pathological changes caused by brain ageing is a promising strategy for improving cognitive health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqing Liu
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, No.139 Middle Renmin Road, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, People's Republic of China
- National Clinical Research Center for Metabolic Diseases, Changsha, 410011, People's Republic of China
| | - Yejun Tan
- School of Mathematics, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Zheyu Zhang
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, No.139 Middle Renmin Road, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, People's Republic of China
- National Clinical Research Center for Metabolic Diseases, Changsha, 410011, People's Republic of China
| | - Min Yi
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, No.139 Middle Renmin Road, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, People's Republic of China
- National Clinical Research Center for Metabolic Diseases, Changsha, 410011, People's Republic of China
| | - Lemei Zhu
- Academician Workstation, Changsha Medical University, Changsha, 410219, People's Republic of China
| | - Weijun Peng
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, No.139 Middle Renmin Road, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, People's Republic of China.
- National Clinical Research Center for Metabolic Diseases, Changsha, 410011, People's Republic of China.
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Brown EA, Kales S, Boyle MJ, Vitti J, Kotliar D, Schaffner S, Tewhey R, Sabeti PC. Three linked variants have opposing regulatory effects on isovaleryl-CoA dehydrogenase gene expression. Hum Mol Genet 2024; 33:270-283. [PMID: 37930192 PMCID: PMC10800014 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddad177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
While genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and positive selection scans identify genomic loci driving human phenotypic diversity, functional validation is required to discover the variant(s) responsible. We dissected the IVD gene locus-which encodes the isovaleryl-CoA dehydrogenase enzyme-implicated by selection statistics, multiple GWAS, and clinical genetics as important to function and fitness. We combined luciferase assays, CRISPR/Cas9 genome-editing, massively parallel reporter assays (MPRA), and a deletion tiling MPRA strategy across regulatory loci. We identified three regulatory variants, including an indel, that may underpin GWAS signals for pulmonary fibrosis and testosterone, and that are linked on a positively selected haplotype in the Japanese population. These regulatory variants exhibit synergistic and opposing effects on IVD expression experimentally. Alleles at these variants lie on a haplotype tagged by the variant most strongly associated with IVD expression and metabolites, but with no functional evidence itself. This work demonstrates how comprehensive functional investigation and multiple technologies are needed to discover the true genetic drivers of phenotypic diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A Brown
- The Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, United States
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, 75 Ames Street, Cambridge, MA 02142, United States
| | - Susan Kales
- The Jackson Laboratory, 600 Main St, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, United States
| | - Michael James Boyle
- The Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, United States
| | - Joseph Vitti
- The Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, United States
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, 75 Ames Street, Cambridge, MA 02142, United States
| | - Dylan Kotliar
- The Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, United States
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, 75 Ames Street, Cambridge, MA 02142, United States
| | - Steve Schaffner
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, 75 Ames Street, Cambridge, MA 02142, United States
| | - Ryan Tewhey
- The Jackson Laboratory, 600 Main St, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, United States
| | - Pardis C Sabeti
- The Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, United States
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, 75 Ames Street, Cambridge, MA 02142, United States
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, United States
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Jiang T, Zhou ZM, Ling ZQ, Zhang Q, Wu ZZ, Yang JW, Yang SY, Yang B, Huang LS. Pig H3K4me3, H3K27ac, and gene expression profiles reveal reproductive tissue-specific activity of transposable elements. Zool Res 2024; 45:138-151. [PMID: 38155423 PMCID: PMC10839656 DOI: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2023.060] [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: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Regulatory sequences and transposable elements (TEs) account for a large proportion of the genomic sequences of species; however, their roles in gene transcription, especially tissue-specific expression, remain largely unknown. Pigs serve as an excellent animal model for studying genomic sequence biology due to the extensive diversity among their wild and domesticated populations. Here, we conducted an integrated analysis using H3K27ac ChIP-seq, H3K4me3 ChIP-seq, and RNA-seq data from 10 different tissues of seven fetuses and eight closely related adult pigs. We aimed to annotate the regulatory elements and TEs to elucidate their associations with histone modifications and mRNA expression across different tissues and developmental stages. Based on correlation analysis between mRNA expression and H3K27ac and H3K4me3 peak activity, results indicated that H3K27ac exhibited stronger associations with gene expression than H3K4me3. Furthermore, 1.45% of TEs overlapped with either the H3K27ac or H3K4me3 peaks, with the majority displaying tissue-specific activity. Notably, a TE subfamily (LTR4C_SS), containing binding motifs for SIX1 and SIX4, showed specific enrichment in the H3K27ac peaks of the adult and fetal ovaries. RNA-seq analysis also revealed widespread expression of TEs in the exons or promoters of genes, including 4 688 TE-containing transcripts with distinct development stage-specific and tissue-specific expression. Of note, 1 967 TE-containing transcripts were enriched in the testes. We identified a long terminal repeat (LTR), MLT1F1, acting as a testis-specific alternative promoter in SRPK2 (a cell cycle-related protein kinase) in our pig dataset. This element was also conserved in humans and mice, suggesting either an ancient integration of TEs in genes specifically expressed in the testes or parallel evolutionary patterns. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that TEs are deeply embedded in the genome and exhibit important tissue-specific biological functions, particularly in the reproductive organs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Jiang
- National Key Laboratory of Pig Genetic Improvement and Germplasm Innovation, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330045, China
| | - Zhi-Min Zhou
- National Key Laboratory of Pig Genetic Improvement and Germplasm Innovation, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330045, China
| | - Zi-Qi Ling
- National Key Laboratory of Pig Genetic Improvement and Germplasm Innovation, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330045, China
| | - Qing Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Pig Genetic Improvement and Germplasm Innovation, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330045, China
| | - Zhong-Zi Wu
- National Key Laboratory of Pig Genetic Improvement and Germplasm Innovation, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330045, China
| | - Jia-Wen Yang
- National Key Laboratory of Pig Genetic Improvement and Germplasm Innovation, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330045, China
| | - Si-Yu Yang
- National Key Laboratory of Pig Genetic Improvement and Germplasm Innovation, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330045, China
| | - Bin Yang
- National Key Laboratory of Pig Genetic Improvement and Germplasm Innovation, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330045, China. E-mail:
| | - Lu-Sheng Huang
- National Key Laboratory of Pig Genetic Improvement and Germplasm Innovation, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330045, China. E-mail:
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Gu X, Wang M, Zhang XO. TE-TSS: an integrated data resource of human and mouse transposable element (TE)-derived transcription start site (TSS). Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:D322-D333. [PMID: 37956335 PMCID: PMC10767810 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad1048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2023] [Revised: 10/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) are abundant in the genome and serve as crucial regulatory elements. Some TEs function as epigenetically regulated promoters, and these TE-derived transcription start sites (TSSs) play a crucial role in regulating genes associated with specific functions, such as cancer and embryogenesis. However, the lack of an accessible database that systematically gathers TE-derived TSS data is a current research gap. To address this, we established TE-TSS, an integrated data resource of human and mouse TE-derived TSSs (http://xozhanglab.com/TETSS). TE-TSS has compiled 2681 RNA sequencing datasets, spanning various tissues, cell lines and developmental stages. From these, we identified 5768 human TE-derived TSSs and 2797 mouse TE-derived TSSs, with 47% and 38% being experimentally validated, respectively. TE-TSS enables comprehensive exploration of TSS usage in diverse samples, providing insights into tissue-specific gene expression patterns and transcriptional regulatory elements. Furthermore, TE-TSS compares TE-derived TSS regions across 15 mammalian species, enhancing our understanding of their evolutionary and functional aspects. The establishment of TE-TSS facilitates further investigations into the roles of TEs in shaping the transcriptomic landscape and offers valuable resources for comprehending their involvement in diverse biological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaobing Gu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Maternal and Fetal Medicine, Clinical and Translational Research Center of Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Frontier Science Center for Stem Cell Research, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Mingdong Wang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Maternal and Fetal Medicine, Clinical and Translational Research Center of Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Frontier Science Center for Stem Cell Research, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Xiao-Ou Zhang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Maternal and Fetal Medicine, Clinical and Translational Research Center of Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Frontier Science Center for Stem Cell Research, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
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42
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Hassan AH, Mokhtar MM, El Allali A. Transposable elements: multifunctional players in the plant genome. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 14:1330127. [PMID: 38239225 PMCID: PMC10794571 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1330127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024]
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) are indispensable components of eukaryotic genomes that play diverse roles in gene regulation, recombination, and environmental adaptation. Their ability to mobilize within the genome leads to gene expression and DNA structure changes. TEs serve as valuable markers for genetic and evolutionary studies and facilitate genetic mapping and phylogenetic analysis. They also provide insight into how organisms adapt to a changing environment by promoting gene rearrangements that lead to new gene combinations. These repetitive sequences significantly impact genome structure, function and evolution. This review takes a comprehensive look at TEs and their applications in biotechnology, particularly in the context of plant biology, where they are now considered "genomic gold" due to their extensive functionalities. The article addresses various aspects of TEs in plant development, including their structure, epigenetic regulation, evolutionary patterns, and their use in gene editing and plant molecular markers. The goal is to systematically understand TEs and shed light on their diverse roles in plant biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asmaa H. Hassan
- Bioinformatics Laboratory, College of Computing, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, Ben Guerir, Morocco
- Agricultural Genetic Engineering Research Institute, Agriculture Research Center, Giza, Egypt
| | - Morad M. Mokhtar
- Bioinformatics Laboratory, College of Computing, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, Ben Guerir, Morocco
- Agricultural Genetic Engineering Research Institute, Agriculture Research Center, Giza, Egypt
| | - Achraf El Allali
- Bioinformatics Laboratory, College of Computing, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, Ben Guerir, Morocco
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43
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Xie M. Virus-Induced Cell Fusion and Syncytia Formation. Results Probl Cell Differ 2024; 71:283-318. [PMID: 37996683 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-37936-9_14] [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] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
Most enveloped viruses encode viral fusion proteins to penetrate host cell by membrane fusion. Interestingly, many enveloped viruses can also use viral fusion proteins to induce cell-cell fusion, both in vitro and in vivo, leading to the formation of syncytia or multinucleated giant cells (MGCs). In addition, some non-enveloped viruses encode specialized viral proteins that induce cell-cell fusion to facilitate viral spread. Overall, viruses that can induce cell-cell fusion are nearly ubiquitous in mammals. Virus cell-to-cell spread by inducing cell-cell fusion may overcome entry and post-entry blocks in target cells and allow evasion of neutralizing antibodies. However, molecular mechanisms of virus-induced cell-cell fusion remain largely unknown. Here, I summarize the current understanding of virus-induced cell fusion and syncytia formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maorong Xie
- Division of Infection and Immunity, UCL, London, UK.
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44
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Lan L, Leng L, Liu W, Ren Y, Reeve W, Fu X, Wu Z, Zhang X. The haplotype-resolved telomere-to-telomere carnation ( Dianthus caryophyllus) genome reveals the correlation between genome architecture and gene expression. HORTICULTURE RESEARCH 2024; 11:uhad244. [PMID: 38225981 PMCID: PMC10788775 DOI: 10.1093/hr/uhad244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
Carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus) is one of the most valuable commercial flowers, due to its richness of color and form, and its excellent storage and vase life. The diverse demands of the market require faster breeding in carnations. A full understanding of carnations is therefore required to guide the direction of breeding. Hence, we assembled the haplotype-resolved gap-free carnation genome of the variety 'Baltico', which is the most common white standard variety worldwide. Based on high-depth HiFi, ultra-long nanopore, and Hi-C sequencing data, we assembled the telomere-to-telomere (T2T) genome to be 564 479 117 and 568 266 215 bp for the two haplotypes Hap1 and Hap2, respectively. This T2T genome exhibited great improvement in genome assembly and annotation results compared with the former version. The improvements were seen when different approaches to evaluation were used. Our T2T genome first informs the analysis of the telomere and centromere region, enabling us to speculate about specific centromere characteristics that cannot be identified by high-order repeats in carnations. We analyzed allele-specific expression in three tissues and the relationship between genome architecture and gene expression in the haplotypes. This demonstrated that the length of the genes, coding sequences, and introns, the exon numbers and the transposable element insertions correlate with gene expression ratios and levels. The insertions of transposable elements repress expression in gene regulatory networks in carnation. This gap-free finished T2T carnation genome provides a valuable resource to illustrate the genome characteristics and for functional genomics analysis in further studies and molecular breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lan Lan
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen 518124, China
- College of Science, Health, Engineering and Education, Murdoch University, Murdoch 6150, Western Australia, Australia
- Kunpeng Institute of Modern Agriculture at Foshan, Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen 518124, China
| | - Luhong Leng
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen 518124, China
- Kunpeng Institute of Modern Agriculture at Foshan, Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen 518124, China
| | - Weichao Liu
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen 518124, China
- Kunpeng Institute of Modern Agriculture at Foshan, Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen 518124, China
- Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology, College of Horticulture and Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Yonglin Ren
- College of Science, Health, Engineering and Education, Murdoch University, Murdoch 6150, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Wayne Reeve
- College of Science, Health, Engineering and Education, Murdoch University, Murdoch 6150, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Xiaopeng Fu
- Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology, College of Horticulture and Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Zhiqiang Wu
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen 518124, China
- Kunpeng Institute of Modern Agriculture at Foshan, Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen 518124, China
| | - Xiaoni Zhang
- Kunpeng Institute of Modern Agriculture at Foshan, Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen 518124, China
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45
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Schmitz M, Querques I. DNA on the move: mechanisms, functions and applications of transposable elements. FEBS Open Bio 2024; 14:13-22. [PMID: 38041553 PMCID: PMC10761935 DOI: 10.1002/2211-5463.13743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Transposons are mobile genetic elements that have invaded all domains of life by moving between and within their host genomes. Due to their mobility (or transposition), transposons facilitate horizontal gene transfer in bacteria and foster the evolution of new molecular functions in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. As transposition can lead to detrimental genomic rearrangements, organisms have evolved a multitude of molecular strategies to control transposons, including genome defense mechanisms provided by CRISPR-Cas systems. Apart from their biological impacts on genomes, DNA transposons have been leveraged as efficient gene insertion vectors in basic research, transgenesis and gene therapy. However, the close to random insertion profile of transposon-based tools limits their programmability and safety. Despite recent advances brought by the development of CRISPR-associated genome editing nucleases, a strategy for efficient insertion of large, multi-kilobase transgenes at user-defined genomic sites is currently challenging. The discovery and experimental characterization of bacterial CRISPR-associated transposons (CASTs) led to the attractive hypothesis that these systems could be repurposed as programmable, site-specific gene integration technologies. Here, we provide a broad overview of the molecular mechanisms underpinning DNA transposition and of its biological and technological impact. The second focus of the article is to describe recent mechanistic and functional analyses of CAST transposition. Finally, current challenges and desired future advances of CAST-based genome engineering applications are briefly discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Irma Querques
- Department of BiochemistryUniversity of ZurichSwitzerland
- Max Perutz Labs, Vienna Biocenter Campus (VBC)Austria
- Department of Structural and Computational Biology, Center for Molecular BiologyUniversity of ViennaAustria
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46
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Vrljicak P, Lucas ES, Tryfonos M, Muter J, Ott S, Brosens JJ. Dynamic chromatin remodeling in cycling human endometrium at single-cell level. Cell Rep 2023; 42:113525. [PMID: 38060448 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113525] [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: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Estrogen-dependent proliferation followed by progesterone-dependent differentiation of the endometrium culminates in a short implantation window. We performed single-cell assay for transposase-accessible chromatin with sequencing on endometrial samples obtained across the menstrual cycle to investigate the regulation of temporal gene networks that control embryo implantation. We identify uniquely accessible chromatin regions in all major cellular constituents of the endometrium, delineate temporal patterns of coordinated chromatin remodeling in epithelial and stromal cells, and gain mechanistic insights into the emergence of a receptive state through integrated analysis of enriched transcription factor (TF) binding sites in dynamic chromatin regions, chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing analyses, and gene expression data. We demonstrate that the implantation window coincides with pervasive cooption of transposable elements (TEs) into the regulatory chromatin landscape of decidualizing cells and expression of TE-derived transcripts in a spatially defined manner. Our data constitute a comprehensive map of the chromatin changes that control TF activities in a cycling endometrium at cellular resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavle Vrljicak
- Warwick Medical School, Division of Biomedical Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry CV2 2DX, UK; The Zeeman Institute for Systems Biology and Infectious Disease Epidemiology Research (SBIDER), University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Emma S Lucas
- Warwick Medical School, Division of Biomedical Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry CV2 2DX, UK
| | - Maria Tryfonos
- Warwick Medical School, Division of Biomedical Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry CV2 2DX, UK
| | - Joanne Muter
- Warwick Medical School, Division of Biomedical Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry CV2 2DX, UK; Tommy's National Centre for Miscarriage Research, University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire NHS Trust, Coventry CV2 2DX, UK
| | - Sascha Ott
- Warwick Medical School, Division of Biomedical Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry CV2 2DX, UK; The Zeeman Institute for Systems Biology and Infectious Disease Epidemiology Research (SBIDER), University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Jan J Brosens
- Warwick Medical School, Division of Biomedical Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry CV2 2DX, UK; Tommy's National Centre for Miscarriage Research, University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire NHS Trust, Coventry CV2 2DX, UK.
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47
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Ow MC, Hall SE. Inheritance of Stress Responses via Small Non-Coding RNAs in Invertebrates and Mammals. EPIGENOMES 2023; 8:1. [PMID: 38534792 DOI: 10.3390/epigenomes8010001] [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: 10/06/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
While reports on the generational inheritance of a parental response to stress have been widely reported in animals, the molecular mechanisms behind this phenomenon have only recently emerged. The booming interest in epigenetic inheritance has been facilitated in part by the discovery that small non-coding RNAs are one of its principal conduits. Discovered 30 years ago in the Caenorhabditis elegans nematode, these small molecules have since cemented their critical roles in regulating virtually all aspects of eukaryotic development. Here, we provide an overview on the current understanding of epigenetic inheritance in animals, including mice and C. elegans, as it pertains to stresses such as temperature, nutritional, and pathogenic encounters. We focus on C. elegans to address the mechanistic complexity of how small RNAs target their cohort mRNAs to effect gene expression and how they govern the propagation or termination of generational perdurance in epigenetic inheritance. Presently, while a great amount has been learned regarding the heritability of gene expression states, many more questions remain unanswered and warrant further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria C Ow
- Department of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA
| | - Sarah E Hall
- Department of Biology and Program in Neuroscience, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA
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48
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Zhang S, Wang R, Zhu X, Zhang L, Liu X, Sun L. Characteristics and expression of lncRNA and transposable elements in Drosophila aneuploidy. iScience 2023; 26:108494. [PMID: 38125016 PMCID: PMC10730892 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.108494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Aneuploidy can globally affect the expression of the whole genome, which is detrimental to organisms. Dosage-sensitive regulators usually have multiple intermolecular interactions, and changes in their stoichiometry are responsible for the dysregulation of the regulatory network. Currently, studies on noncoding genes in aneuploidy are relatively rare. We studied the characteristics and expression profiles of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and transposable elements (TEs) in aneuploid Drosophila. It is found that lncRNAs and TEs are affected by genomic imbalance and appear to be more sensitive to an inverse dosage effect than mRNAs. Several dosage-sensitive lncRNAs and TEs were detected for their expression patterns during embryogenesis, and their biological functions in the ovary and testes were investigated using tissue-specific RNAi. This study advances our understanding of the noncoding sequences in imbalanced genomes and provides a novel perspective for the study of aneuploidy-related human diseases such as cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuai Zhang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Gene Resource and Molecular Development, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Ruixue Wang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Gene Resource and Molecular Development, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Xilin Zhu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Gene Resource and Molecular Development, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Ludan Zhang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Gene Resource and Molecular Development, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Xinyu Liu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Gene Resource and Molecular Development, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Lin Sun
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Gene Resource and Molecular Development, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
- Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Regulation Biology of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
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Singh M, Leddy SM, Iñiguez LP, Bendall ML, Nixon DF, Feschotte C. Transposable elements may enhance antiviral resistance in HIV-1 elite controllers. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.11.571123. [PMID: 38168352 PMCID: PMC10760019 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.11.571123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Less than 0.5% of people living with HIV-1 are elite controllers (ECs) - individuals who have a replication-competent viral reservoir in their CD4+ T cells but maintain undetectable plasma viremia without the help of antiretroviral therapy. While the EC CD4+ T cell transcriptome has been investigated for gene expression signatures associated with disease progression (or, in this case, a lack thereof), the expression and regulatory activity of transposable elements (TEs) in ECs has not been explored. Yet previous studies have established that TEs can directly impact the immune response to pathogens, including HIV-1. Thus, we hypothesize that the regulatory activities of TEs could contribute to the natural resistance of ECs against HIV-1. We perform a TE-centric analysis of previously published multi-omics data derived from EC individuals and other populations. We find that the CD4+ T cell transcriptome and retrotranscriptome of ECs are distinct from healthy controls, treated patients, and viremic progressors. However, there is a substantial level of transcriptomic heterogeneity among ECs. We categorize individuals with distinct chromatin accessibility and expression profiles into four clusters within the EC group, each possessing unique repertoires of TEs and antiviral factors. Notably, several TE families with known immuno-regulatory activity are differentially expressed among ECs. Their transcript levels in ECs positively correlate with their chromatin accessibility and negatively correlate with the expression of their KRAB zinc-finger (KZNF) repressors. This coordinated variation is seen at the level of individual TE loci likely acting or, in some cases, known to act as cis-regulatory elements for nearby genes involved in the immune response and HIV-1 restriction. Based on these results, we propose that the EC phenotype is driven in part by the reduced availability of specific KZNF proteins to repress TE-derived cis-regulatory elements for antiviral genes, thereby heightening their basal level of resistance to HIV-1 infection. Our study reveals considerable heterogeneity in the CD4+ T cell transcriptome of ECs, including variable expression of TEs and their KZNF controllers, that must be taken into consideration to decipher the mechanisms enabling HIV-1 control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manvendra Singh
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Clinical Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, City Campus, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Sabrina M Leddy
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Luis Pedro Iñiguez
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Matthew L Bendall
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Douglas F Nixon
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Cédric Feschotte
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
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Maeng JH, Jang HJ, Du AY, Tzeng SC, Wang T. Using long-read CAGE sequencing to profile cryptic-promoter-derived transcripts and their contribution to the immunopeptidome. Genome Res 2023; 33:gr.277061.122. [PMID: 38065624 PMCID: PMC10760525 DOI: 10.1101/gr.277061.122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/04/2024]
Abstract
Recent studies have shown that the noncoding genome can produce unannotated proteins as antigens that induce immune response. One major source of this activity is the aberrant epigenetic reactivation of transposable elements (TEs). In tumors, TEs often provide cryptic or alternate promoters, which can generate transcripts that encode tumor-specific unannotated proteins. Thus, TE-derived transcripts (TE transcripts) have the potential to produce tumor-specific, but recurrent, antigens shared among many tumors. Identification of TE-derived tumor antigens holds the promise to improve cancer immunotherapy approaches; however, current genomics and computational tools are not optimized for their detection. Here we combined CAGE technology with full-length long-read transcriptome sequencing (long-read CAGE, or LRCAGE) and developed a suite of computational tools to significantly improve immunopeptidome detection by incorporating TE and other tumor transcripts into the proteome database. By applying our methods to human lung cancer cell line H1299 data, we show that long-read technology significantly improves mapping of promoters with low mappability scores and that LRCAGE guarantees accurate construction of uncharacterized 5' transcript structure. Augmenting a reference proteome database with newly characterized transcripts enabled us to detect noncanonical antigens from HLA-pulldown LC-MS/MS data. Lastly, we show that epigenetic treatment increased the number of noncanonical antigens, particularly those encoded by TE transcripts, which might expand the pool of targetable antigens for cancers with low mutational burden.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ju Heon Maeng
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
- Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
| | - H Josh Jang
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
- Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
| | - Alan Y Du
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
- Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
| | - Shin-Cheng Tzeng
- Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St. Louis, Missouri 63132, USA
| | - Ting Wang
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA;
- Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
- McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63108, USA
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