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Kharel P, Ivanov P. RNA G-quadruplexes and stress: emerging mechanisms and functions. Trends Cell Biol 2024:S0962-8924(24)00005-9. [PMID: 38341346 DOI: 10.1016/j.tcb.2024.01.005] [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: 09/30/2023] [Revised: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
RNA G-quadruplexes (rG4s) are noncanonical secondary structures formed by guanine-rich sequences that are found in different regions of RNA molecules. These structures have been implicated in diverse biological processes, including translation, splicing, and RNA stability. Recent studies have suggested that rG4s play a role in the cellular response to stress. This review summarizes the current knowledge on rG4s under stress, focusing on their formation, regulation, and potential functions in stress response pathways. We discuss the molecular mechanisms that regulate the formation of rG4 under different stress conditions and the impact of these structures on RNA metabolism, gene expression, and cell survival. Finally, we highlight the potential therapeutic implications of targeting rG4s for the treatment of stress-related diseases through modulating cell survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prakash Kharel
- Division of Rheumatology, Inflammation, and Immunity, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Pavel Ivanov
- Division of Rheumatology, Inflammation, and Immunity, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; HMS Initiative for RNA Medicine, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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2
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Singha Roy A, Majumder S, Saha P. Stable RNA G-Quadruplex in the 5'-UTR of Human cIAP1 mRNA Promotes Translation in an IRES-Independent Manner. Biochemistry 2024. [PMID: 38334276 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.3c00521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
RNA G-quadruplex (rG4) structures can influence the fate and functions of mRNAs, especially the translation process. The presence of rG4 structures in 5'-untranslated regions (5'-UTRs) of mRNAs generally represses translation. However, rG4 structures can also promote internal ribosome entry site (IRES)-mediated translation as one of its determinants. Here, we report the identification of an evolutionary conserved rG4-forming sequence motif at the extreme 5'-end of the unusually long 5'-UTR (1.7 kb) in the transcript of human cIAP1 gene encoding the cellular inhibitor of apoptosis protein-1 that promotes cell survival by suppressing apoptosis and is overexpressed in various cancer cells. Expectedly, NMR study, CD spectroscopy, and UV melting assay confirm the formation of a potassium ion-dependent intramolecular and parallel rG4 structure at the sequence stretch. Moreover, the G4-RNA-specific precipitation using biotin-linked biomimetic BioCyTASQ validates the formation of the rG4 structure in the cIAP1 5'-UTR in cells. Interestingly, disruption of the rG4 structure in the cIAP1 5'-UTR results in a dramatic reduction in translation of the downstream luciferase reporter in cells, suggesting a translation-promoting effect of the rG4 structure, contrary to many earlier reports. Furthermore, enhancement of translation by the cIAP1 rG4 structure occurs in an IRES-independent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aditya Singha Roy
- Crystallography and Molecular Biology Division, Biophysical Sciences Group, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, Kolkata 700064, India
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai 400094, India
| | - Subhabrata Majumder
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai 400094, India
- Biophysics and Structural Biology Division, Biophysical Sciences Group, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, Kolkata 700064, India
| | - Partha Saha
- Crystallography and Molecular Biology Division, Biophysical Sciences Group, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, Kolkata 700064, India
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai 400094, India
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3
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Lejault P, Prudent L, Terrier MP, Perreault JP. Small molecule chaperones facilitate the folding of RNA G-quadruplexes. Biochimie 2023; 214:83-90. [PMID: 37666291 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2023.08.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023]
Abstract
RNA G-quadruplexes (rG4) have recently emerged as major regulatory elements in both mRNA and non-coding RNA. In order to investigate the biological roles of rG4 structures, chemists have developed a variety of highly specific and potent ligands. All of these ligands bind to the rG4s by stacking on top of them. The binding specificity is demonstrated by comparison to other structures such as duplex or three-way junctions. It remains unclear whether rG4-ligands merely stabilize fully formed rG4 structures, or if they actively participate in the folding of the rG4 structure through their association with an unfolded RNA sequence. In order to elucidate the innate steps of ligand-rG4 associations and mechanisms robust in vitro techniques, including FRET, electrophoretic mobility shift assays and reverse transcriptase stalling assays, were used to examine the capacity of five well-known G4 ligands to induce rG4 structures derived from either long non-coding RNAs or from synthetic RNAs. It was found that both PhenDC3 and PDS induce rG4 formation in single RNA strands. This discovery has important implications for the interpretation of RNA-seq experiments. Overall, in vitro data that can assist biochemists in selecting the optimal G4-ligands for their RNA cellular experiments are presented, and the effects induced by these ligands on the rG4s are also considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pauline Lejault
- Department of Biochemistry and Functional Genomics, Pavillon de Recherche Appliquée sur le Cancer, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, J1E 4K8, Canada.
| | - Louis Prudent
- Department of Biochemistry and Functional Genomics, Pavillon de Recherche Appliquée sur le Cancer, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, J1E 4K8, Canada
| | - Michel-Pierre Terrier
- Department of Biochemistry and Functional Genomics, Pavillon de Recherche Appliquée sur le Cancer, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, J1E 4K8, Canada
| | - Jean-Pierre Perreault
- Department of Biochemistry and Functional Genomics, Pavillon de Recherche Appliquée sur le Cancer, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, J1E 4K8, Canada.
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4
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Suhorukova AV, Sobolev DS, Milovskaya IG, Fadeev VS, Goldenkova-Pavlova IV, Tyurin AA. A Molecular Orchestration of Plant Translation under Abiotic Stress. Cells 2023; 12:2445. [PMID: 37887289 PMCID: PMC10605726 DOI: 10.3390/cells12202445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The complexities of translational strategies make this stage of implementing genetic information one of the most challenging to comprehend and, simultaneously, perhaps the most engaging. It is evident that this diverse range of strategies results not only from a long evolutionary history, but is also of paramount importance for refining gene expression and metabolic modulation. This notion is particularly accurate for organisms that predominantly exhibit biochemical and physiological reactions with a lack of behavioural ones. Plants are a group of organisms that exhibit such features. Addressing unfavourable environmental conditions plays a pivotal role in plant physiology. This is particularly evident with the changing conditions of global warming and the irrevocable loss or depletion of natural ecosystems. In conceptual terms, the plant response to abiotic stress comprises a set of elaborate and intricate strategies. This is influenced by a range of abiotic factors that cause stressful conditions, and molecular genetic mechanisms that fine-tune metabolic pathways allowing the plant organism to overcome non-standard and non-optimal conditions. This review aims to focus on the current state of the art in the field of translational regulation in plants under abiotic stress conditions. Different regulatory elements and patterns are being assessed chronologically. We deem it important to focus on significant high-performance techniques for studying the genetic information dynamics during the translation phase.
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5
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Ghosh A, Pandey SP, Joshi DC, Rana P, Ansari AH, Sundar JS, Singh P, Khan Y, Ekka MK, Chakraborty D, Maiti S. Identification of G-quadruplex structures in MALAT1 lncRNA that interact with nucleolin and nucleophosmin. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:9415-9431. [PMID: 37558241 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad639] [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: 07/24/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Nuclear-retained long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) including MALAT1 have emerged as critical regulators of many molecular processes including transcription, alternative splicing and chromatin organization. Here, we report the presence of three conserved and thermodynamically stable RNA G-quadruplexes (rG4s) located in the 3' region of MALAT1. Using rG4 domain-specific RNA pull-down followed by mass spectrometry and RNA immunoprecipitation, we demonstrated that the MALAT1 rG4 structures are specifically bound by two nucleolar proteins, Nucleolin (NCL) and Nucleophosmin (NPM). Using imaging, we found that the MALAT1 rG4s facilitate the localization of both NCL and NPM to nuclear speckles, and specific G-to-A mutations that disrupt the rG4 structures compromised the localization of both NCL and NPM in speckles. In vitro biophysical studies established that a truncated version of NCL (ΔNCL) binds tightly to all three rG4s. Overall, our study revealed new rG4s within MALAT1, established that they are specifically recognized by NCL and NPM, and showed that disrupting the rG4s abolished localization of these proteins to nuclear speckles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arpita Ghosh
- CSIR-Institute of Genomics & Integrative Biology, Mathura Road, Delhi 110025, India
- Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201 002, India
| | - Satya Prakash Pandey
- CSIR-Institute of Genomics & Integrative Biology, Mathura Road, Delhi 110025, India
- Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201 002, India
| | - Dheeraj Chandra Joshi
- CSIR-Institute of Genomics & Integrative Biology, Mathura Road, Delhi 110025, India
- Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201 002, India
| | - Priya Rana
- CSIR-Institute of Genomics & Integrative Biology, Mathura Road, Delhi 110025, India
- Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201 002, India
| | - Asgar Hussain Ansari
- CSIR-Institute of Genomics & Integrative Biology, Mathura Road, Delhi 110025, India
- Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201 002, India
| | | | - Praveen Singh
- CSIR-Institute of Genomics & Integrative Biology, Mathura Road, Delhi 110025, India
- Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201 002, India
| | - Yasmeen Khan
- CSIR-Institute of Genomics & Integrative Biology, Mathura Road, Delhi 110025, India
- Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201 002, India
| | - Mary Krishna Ekka
- CSIR-Institute of Genomics & Integrative Biology, Mathura Road, Delhi 110025, India
- Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201 002, India
| | - Debojyoti Chakraborty
- CSIR-Institute of Genomics & Integrative Biology, Mathura Road, Delhi 110025, India
- Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201 002, India
| | - Souvik Maiti
- CSIR-Institute of Genomics & Integrative Biology, Mathura Road, Delhi 110025, India
- Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201 002, India
- CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, Pune 411 008, India
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6
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Danino YM, Molitor L, Rosenbaum-Cohen T, Kaiser S, Cohen Y, Porat Z, Marmor-Kollet H, Katina C, Savidor A, Rotkopf R, Ben-Isaac E, Golani O, Levin Y, Monchaud D, Hickson I, Hornstein E. BLM helicase protein negatively regulates stress granule formation through unwinding RNA G-quadruplex structures. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:9369-9384. [PMID: 37503837 PMCID: PMC10516661 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad613] [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: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Bloom's syndrome (BLM) protein is a known nuclear helicase that is able to unwind DNA secondary structures such as G-quadruplexes (G4s). However, its role in the regulation of cytoplasmic processes that involve RNA G-quadruplexes (rG4s) has not been previously studied. Here, we demonstrate that BLM is recruited to stress granules (SGs), which are cytoplasmic biomolecular condensates composed of RNAs and RNA-binding proteins. BLM is enriched in SGs upon different stress conditions and in an rG4-dependent manner. Also, we show that BLM unwinds rG4s and acts as a negative regulator of SG formation. Altogether, our data expand the cellular activity of BLM and shed light on the function that helicases play in the dynamics of biomolecular condensates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yehuda M Danino
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Lena Molitor
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Tamar Rosenbaum-Cohen
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
- Department of Brain science, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Sebastian Kaiser
- Center for Chromosome Stability, Dept. of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Panum Institute, Copenhagen Univ, 2200 København N., Denmark
| | - Yahel Cohen
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Ziv Porat
- Flow Cytometry Unit, Life Sciences Core Facilities, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Hagai Marmor-Kollet
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
- 1E therapeutics, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Corine Katina
- de Botton Institute for Protein Profiling, The Nancy and Stephen Grand Israel National Center for Personalized Medicine, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Alon Savidor
- de Botton Institute for Protein Profiling, The Nancy and Stephen Grand Israel National Center for Personalized Medicine, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Ron Rotkopf
- Bioinformatics Unit, Life Sciences Core Facilities, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Eyal Ben-Isaac
- MICC Cell Observatory Unit, Life Sciences Core Facilities, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Ofra Golani
- MICC Cell Observatory Unit, Life Sciences Core Facilities, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Yishai Levin
- de Botton Institute for Protein Profiling, The Nancy and Stephen Grand Israel National Center for Personalized Medicine, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - David Monchaud
- Institut de Chimie Moleculaire, ICMUB CNRS UMR 6302, uB Dijon, France
| | - Ian D Hickson
- Center for Chromosome Stability, Dept. of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Panum Institute, Copenhagen Univ, 2200 København N., Denmark
| | - Eran Hornstein
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
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7
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Niu D, Wu Y, Lian J. Circular RNA vaccine in disease prevention and treatment. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:341. [PMID: 37691066 PMCID: PMC10493228 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01561-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 07/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
CircRNAs are a class of single-stranded RNAs with covalently linked head-to-tail topology. In the decades since its initial discovery, their biogenesis, regulation, and function have rapidly disclosed, permitting a better understanding and adoption of them as new tools for medical applications. With the development of biotechnology and molecular medicine, artificial circRNAs have been engineered as a novel class of vaccines for disease treatment and prevention. Unlike the linear mRNA vaccine which applications were limited by its instability, inefficiency, and innate immunogenicity, circRNA vaccine which incorporate internal ribosome entry sites (IRESs) and open reading frame (ORF) provides an improved approach to RNA-based vaccination with safety, stability, simplicity of manufacture, and scalability. However, circRNA vaccines are at an early stage, and their optimization, delivery and applications require further development and evaluation. In this review, we comprehensively describe circRNA vaccine, including their history and superiority. We also summarize and discuss the current methodological research for circRNA vaccine preparation, including their design, synthesis, and purification. Finally, we highlight the delivery options of circRNA vaccine and its potential applications in diseases treatment and prevention. Considering their unique high stability, low immunogenicity, protein/peptide-coding capacity and special closed-loop construction, circRNA vaccine, and circRNA-based therapeutic platforms may have superior application prospects in a broad range of diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dun Niu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Southwest Hospital, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), 400038, Chongqing, China
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), 400038, Chongqing, China
| | - Yaran Wu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Southwest Hospital, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), 400038, Chongqing, China
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), 400038, Chongqing, China
| | - Jiqin Lian
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Southwest Hospital, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), 400038, Chongqing, China.
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), 400038, Chongqing, China.
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Mou X, Kwok CK. Peptides Selected by G4-mRNA Display-Seq Enable RNA G-Quadruplex Recognition and Gene Regulation. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:18693-18697. [PMID: 37582058 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c04534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/17/2023]
Abstract
G-quadruplexes (G4s) are noncanonical secondary structures that play critical roles in both chemistry and biology. Although several approaches have been developed for G4 targeting, such as chemicals and antibodies, there is currently no general and efficient platform for G4-specific peptides. In this study, we developed a new platform, G4-mRNA display-Seq, for selecting peptides that specifically recognize the G4 target of interest. By using an RNA G4 (rG4) found in human telomerase RNA (hTERC) as the target, we have identified a novel short peptide, namely, peptide 11 (pep11), which displays high affinity and selectivity to hTERC rG4. Furthermore, we designed tandem and cyclic versions of pep11 and found that both modified versions exhibit stronger binding affinity with preferential rG4 selectivity. Notably, we have demonstrated that these peptides can negatively regulate gene expression by targeting rG4. Our results provide a universal platform for the discovery of G4-targeting peptides and demonstrate the ability of these peptides to regulate G4-mediated gene functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Mou
- Department of Chemistry and State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR 999077, China
| | - Chun Kit Kwok
- Department of Chemistry and State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR 999077, China
- Shenzhen Research Institute of City University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen 518057, China
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9
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Elimelech-Zohar K, Orenstein Y. An overview on nucleic-acid G-quadruplex prediction: from rule-based methods to deep neural networks. Brief Bioinform 2023:bbad252. [PMID: 37438149 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbad252] [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: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Nucleic-acid G-quadruplexes (G4s) play vital roles in many cellular processes. Due to their importance, researchers have developed experimental assays to measure nucleic-acid G4s in high throughput. The generated high-throughput datasets gave rise to unique opportunities to develop machine-learning-based methods, and in particular deep neural networks, to predict G4s in any given nucleic-acid sequence and any species. In this paper, we review the success stories of deep-neural-network applications for G4 prediction. We first cover the experimental technologies that generated the most comprehensive nucleic-acid G4 high-throughput datasets in recent years. We then review classic rule-based methods for G4 prediction. We proceed by reviewing the major machine-learning and deep-neural-network applications to nucleic-acid G4 datasets and report a novel comparison between them. Next, we present the interpretability techniques used on the trained neural networks to learn key molecular principles underlying nucleic-acid G4 folding. As a new result, we calculate the overlap between measured DNA and RNA G4s and compare the performance of DNA- and RNA-G4 predictors on RNA- and DNA-G4 datasets, respectively, to demonstrate the potential of transfer learning from DNA G4s to RNA G4s. Last, we conclude with open questions in the field of nucleic-acid G4 prediction and computational modeling.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yaron Orenstein
- Department of Computer Science, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, 5290002, Israel
- The Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, 5290002, Israel
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10
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Lyu K, Kwok CK. RNA G-quadruplex (rG4) structure detection using RTS and SHALiPE assays. Methods Enzymol 2023; 691:63-80. [PMID: 37914452 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2023.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
RNA G-quadruplexes (rG4s) are non-canonical RNA secondary structures that were first reported several decades ago. Latest studies have suggested that they are widespread in the transcriptomes of diverse species, and they have been demonstrated to have key roles in various fundamental cellular processes. Among the RNA secondary structure probing assays developed recently, Reverse transcriptase stalling (RTS) and selective 2'-hydroxyl acylation analyzed by lithium ion-based primer extension (SHALiPE) enabled the identification and characterization of distinct structural features of an rG4 structure of interest. Herein, we present an experimental protocol describing in detail the procedures involved in the preparation of in vitro transcribed RNAs, buffers, and reagents for RTS and SHALiPE assays, as well as performing RTS and SHALiPE assays, to examine the formation of rG4 and reveal the rG4 structural conformation at nucleotide resolution in vitro. RTS and SHALiPE assays can be performed by an experienced molecular biologist or chemical biologist with a basic understanding of nucleic acids. The duration for the preparation of in vitro transcription and RNA preparation is around 2 days, and the duration for RTS and SHALiPE assays is approximately 5 h.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaixin Lyu
- Department of Chemistry and State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, P.R. China
| | - Chun Kit Kwok
- Department of Chemistry and State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, P.R. China; Shenzhen Research Institute of City University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China.
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11
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Vijay Kumar MJ, Morales R, Tsvetkov AS. G-quadruplexes and associated proteins in aging and Alzheimer's disease. FRONTIERS IN AGING 2023; 4:1164057. [PMID: 37323535 PMCID: PMC10267416 DOI: 10.3389/fragi.2023.1164057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Aging is a prominent risk factor for many neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Alzheimer's disease is characterized by progressive cognitive decline, memory loss, and neuropsychiatric and behavioral symptoms, accounting for most of the reported dementia cases. This disease is now becoming a major challenge and burden on modern society, especially with the aging population. Over the last few decades, a significant understanding of the pathophysiology of AD has been gained by studying amyloid deposition, hyperphosphorylated tau, synaptic dysfunction, oxidative stress, calcium dysregulation, and neuroinflammation. This review focuses on the role of non-canonical secondary structures of DNA/RNA G-quadruplexes (G4s, G4-DNA, and G4-RNA), G4-binding proteins (G4BPs), and helicases, and their roles in aging and AD. Being critically important for cellular function, G4s are involved in the regulation of DNA and RNA processes, such as replication, transcription, translation, RNA localization, and degradation. Recent studies have also highlighted G4-DNA's roles in inducing DNA double-strand breaks that cause genomic instability and G4-RNA's participation in regulating stress granule formation. This review emphasizes the significance of G4s in aging processes and how their homeostatic imbalance may contribute to the pathophysiology of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. J. Vijay Kumar
- The Department of Neurology, The University of Texas McGovern Medical School at Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Rodrigo Morales
- The Department of Neurology, The University of Texas McGovern Medical School at Houston, Houston, TX, United States
- Centro Integrativo de Biologia y Quimica Aplicada (CIBQA), Universidad Bernardo O’Higgins, Santiago, Chile
| | - Andrey S. Tsvetkov
- The Department of Neurology, The University of Texas McGovern Medical School at Houston, Houston, TX, United States
- The University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, United States
- UTHealth Consortium on Aging, The University of Texas McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX, United States
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12
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Kitamura A, Tornmalm J, Demirbay B, Piguet J, Kinjo M, Widengren J. Trans-cis isomerization kinetics of cyanine dyes reports on the folding states of exogeneous RNA G-quadruplexes in live cells. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:e27. [PMID: 36651281 PMCID: PMC10018373 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac1255] [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: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Guanine (G)-rich nucleic acids are prone to assemble into four-stranded structures, so-called G-quadruplexes. Abnormal GGGGCC repeat elongations, and in particular their folding states, are associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia. Due to methodological constraints however, most studies of G quadruplex structures are restricted to in vitro conditions. Evidence of how GGGGCC repeats form into G-quadruplexes in vivo is sparse. We devised a readout strategy, exploiting the sensitivity of trans-cis isomerization of cyanine dyes to local viscosity and sterical constraints. Thereby, folding states of cyanine-labeled RNA, and in particular G-quadruplexes, can be identified in a sensitive manner. The isomerization kinetics, monitored via fluorescence blinking generated upon transitions between a fluorescent trans isomer and a non-fluorescent cis isomer, was first characterized for RNA with GGGGCC repeats in aqueous solution using fluorescence correlation spectroscopy and transient state (TRAST) monitoring. With TRAST, monitoring the isomerization kinetics from how the average fluorescence intensity varies with laser excitation modulation characteristics, we could then detect folding states of fluorescently tagged RNA introduced into live cells.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Baris Demirbay
- Experimental Biomolecular Physics, Department of Applied Physics, Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Joachim Piguet
- Experimental Biomolecular Physics, Department of Applied Physics, Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Masataka Kinjo
- Laboratory of Molecular Cell Dynamics, Faculty of Advanced Life Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
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13
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Kharel P, Fay M, Manasova EV, Anderson PJ, Kurkin AV, Guo JU, Ivanov P. Stress promotes RNA G-quadruplex folding in human cells. Nat Commun 2023; 14:205. [PMID: 36639366 PMCID: PMC9839774 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-35811-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Guanine (G)-rich nucleic acids can fold into G-quadruplex (G4) structures under permissive conditions. Although many RNAs contain sequences that fold into RNA G4s (rG4s) in vitro, their folding and functions in vivo are not well understood. In this report, we showed that the folding of putative rG4s in human cells into rG4 structures is dynamically regulated under stress. By using high-throughput dimethylsulfate (DMS) probing, we identified hundreds of endogenous stress-induced rG4s, and validated them by using an rG4 pull-down approach. Our results demonstrate that stress-induced rG4s are enriched in mRNA 3'-untranslated regions and enhance mRNA stability. Furthermore, stress-induced rG4 folding is readily reversible upon stress removal. In summary, our study revealed the dynamic regulation of rG4 folding in human cells and suggested that widespread rG4 motifs may have a global regulatory impact on mRNA stability and cellular stress response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prakash Kharel
- Division of Rheumatology, Inflammation, and Immunity, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Marta Fay
- Division of Rheumatology, Inflammation, and Immunity, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Ekaterina V Manasova
- Chemistry Department of Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991, Moscow, Russia
| | - Paul J Anderson
- Division of Rheumatology, Inflammation, and Immunity, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Harvard Medical School Initiative for RNA Medicine, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Alexander V Kurkin
- Chemistry Department of Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991, Moscow, Russia
| | - Junjie U Guo
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA.
| | - Pavel Ivanov
- Division of Rheumatology, Inflammation, and Immunity, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
- Harvard Medical School Initiative for RNA Medicine, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
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14
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Apostolidi M, Stamatopoulou V. Aberrant splicing in human cancer: An RNA structural code point of view. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1137154. [PMID: 36909167 PMCID: PMC9995731 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1137154] [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: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Alternative splicing represents an essential process that occurs widely in eukaryotes. In humans, most genes undergo alternative splicing to ensure transcriptome and proteome diversity reflecting their functional complexity. Over the last decade, aberrantly spliced transcripts due to mutations in cis- or trans-acting splicing regulators have been tightly associated with cancer development, largely drawing scientific attention. Although a plethora of single proteins, ribonucleoproteins, complexed RNAs, and short RNA sequences have emerged as nodal contributors to the splicing cascade, the role of RNA secondary structures in warranting splicing fidelity has been underestimated. Recent studies have leveraged the establishment of novel high-throughput methodologies and bioinformatic tools to shed light on an additional layer of splicing regulation in the context of RNA structural elements. This short review focuses on the most recent available data on splicing mechanism regulation on the basis of RNA secondary structure, emphasizing the importance of the complex RNA G-quadruplex structures (rG4s), and other specific RNA motifs identified as splicing silencers or enhancers. Moreover, it intends to provide knowledge on newly established techniques that allow the identification of RNA structural elements and highlight the potential to develop new RNA-oriented therapeutic strategies against cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Apostolidi
- Agilent Laboratories, Agilent Technologies, Santa Clara, CA, United States
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15
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Lyu K, Chen SB, Chow EYC, Zhao H, Yuan JH, Cai M, Shi J, Chan TF, Tan JH, Kwok CK. An RNA G-Quadruplex Structure within the ADAR 5'UTR Interacts with DHX36 Helicase to Regulate Translation. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022; 61:e202203553. [PMID: 36300875 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202203553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
RNA G-quadruplex (rG4) structures in the 5' untranslated region (5'UTR) play crucial roles in fundamental cellular processes. ADAR is an important enzyme that binds to double-strand RNA and accounts for the conversion of Adenosine to Inosine in RNA editing. However, so far there is no report on the formation and regulatory role of rG4 on ADAR expression. Here, we identify and characterize a thermostable rG4 structure within the 5'UTR of the ADAR1 mRNA and demonstrate its formation and inhibitory role on translation in reporter gene and native gene constructs. We reveal rG4-specific helicase DHX36 interacts with this rG4 in vitro and in cells under knockdown and knockout conditions by GTFH (G-quadruplex-triggered fluorogenic hybridization) probes and modulates translation in an rG4-dependent manner. Our results further substantiate the rG4 structure-DHX36 protein interaction in cells and highlight rG4 to be a key player in controlling ADAR1 translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaixin Lyu
- Department of Chemistry and State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Shuo-Bin Chen
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Design and Evaluation, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Eugene Yui-Ching Chow
- School of Life Sciences, and State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Haizhou Zhao
- Department of Chemistry and State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Jia-Hao Yuan
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Design and Evaluation, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Meng Cai
- Shenzhen Research Institute of City University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, Tung Biomedical Sciences Center, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Jiahai Shi
- Shenzhen Research Institute of City University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, Tung Biomedical Sciences Center, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.,Department of Biochemistry, Synthetic Biology Translational Research Programmes, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Ting-Fung Chan
- School of Life Sciences, and State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Jia-Heng Tan
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Design and Evaluation, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Chun Kit Kwok
- Department of Chemistry and State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.,Shenzhen Research Institute of City University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China
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16
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Zhao J, Chow EYC, Yeung PY, Zhang QC, Chan TF, Kwok CK. Enhanced transcriptome-wide RNA G-quadruplex sequencing for low RNA input samples with rG4-seq 2.0. BMC Biol 2022; 20:257. [PMID: 36372875 PMCID: PMC9661767 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-022-01448-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background RNA G-quadruplexes (rG4s) are non-canonical structural motifs that have diverse functional and regulatory roles, for instance in transcription termination, alternative splicing, mRNA localization and stabilization, and translational process. We recently developed the RNA G-quadruplex structure sequencing (rG4-seq) technique and described rG4s in both eukaryotic and prokaryotic transcriptomes. However, rG4-seq suffers from a complicated gel purification step and limited PCR product yield, thus requiring a high amount of RNA input, which limits its applicability in more physiologically or clinically relevant studies often characterized by the limited availability of biological material and low RNA abundance. Here, we redesign and enhance the workflow of rG4-seq to address this issue. Results We developed rG4-seq 2.0 by introducing a new ssDNA adapter containing deoxyuridine during library preparation to enhance library quality with no gel purification step, less PCR amplification cycles and higher yield of PCR products. We demonstrate that rG4-seq 2.0 produces high-quality cDNA libraries that support reliable and reproducible rG4 identification at varying RNA inputs, including RNA mounts as low as 10 ng. rG4-seq 2.0 also improved the rG4-seq calling outcome and nucleotide bias in rG4 detection persistent in rG4-seq 1.0. We further provide in vitro mapping of rG4 in the HEK293T cell line, and recommendations for assessing RNA input and sequencing depth for individual rG4 studies based on transcript abundance. Conclusions rG4-seq 2.0 can improve the identification and study of rG4s in low abundance transcripts, and our findings can provide insights to optimize cDNA library preparation in other related methods. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12915-022-01448-3.
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17
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Turner M, Danino YM, Barshai M, Yacovzada NS, Cohen Y, Olender T, Rotkopf R, Monchaud D, Hornstein E, Orenstein Y. rG4detector, a novel RNA G-quadruplex predictor, uncovers their impact on stress granule formation. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:11426-11441. [PMID: 36350614 PMCID: PMC9723610 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Revised: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA G-quadruplexes (rG4s) are RNA secondary structures, which are formed by guanine-rich sequences and have important cellular functions. Existing computational tools for rG4 prediction rely on specific sequence features and/or were trained on small datasets, without considering rG4 stability information, and are therefore sub-optimal. Here, we developed rG4detector, a convolutional neural network to identify potential rG4s in transcriptomics data. rG4detector outperforms existing methods in both predicting rG4 stability and in detecting rG4-forming sequences. To demonstrate the biological-relevance of rG4detector, we employed it to study RNAs that are bound by the RNA-binding protein G3BP1. G3BP1 is central to the induction of stress granules (SGs), which are cytoplasmic biomolecular condensates that form in response to a variety of cellular stresses. Unexpectedly, rG4detector revealed a dynamic enrichment of rG4s bound by G3BP1 in response to cellular stress. In addition, we experimentally characterized G3BP1 cross-talk with rG4s, demonstrating that G3BP1 is a bona fide rG4-binding protein and that endogenous rG4s are enriched within SGs. Furthermore, we found that reduced rG4 availability impairs SG formation. Hence, we conclude that rG4s play a direct role in SG biology via their interactions with RNA-binding proteins and that rG4detector is a novel useful tool for rG4 transcriptomics data analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Mira Barshai
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be’er-Sheva 8410501, Israel
| | - Nancy S Yacovzada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel,Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Yahel Cohen
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel,Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Tsviya Olender
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Ron Rotkopf
- Bioinformatics Unit, Life Sciences Core Facilities, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - David Monchaud
- Institut de Chimie Moleculaire, ICMUB CNRS UMR 6302, UBFC Dijon, France
| | | | - Yaron Orenstein
- Correspondence may also be addressed to Yaron Orenstein. Tel: +972 3 531 7990;
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18
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Yang X, Yu H, Duncan S, Zhang Y, Cheema J, Liu H, Benjamin Miller J, Zhang J, Kwok CK, Zhang H, Ding Y. RNA G-quadruplex structure contributes to cold adaptation in plants. Nat Commun 2022; 13:6224. [PMID: 36266343 PMCID: PMC9585020 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-34040-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Nucleotide composition is suggested to infer gene functionality and ecological adaptation of species to distinct environments. However, the underlying biological function of nucleotide composition dictating environmental adaptations is largely unknown. Here, we systematically analyze the nucleotide composition of transcriptomes across 1000 plants (1KP) and their corresponding habitats. Intriguingly, we find that plants growing in cold climates have guanine (G)-enriched transcriptomes, which are prone to forming RNA G-quadruplex structures. Both immunofluorescence detection and in vivo structure profiling reveal that RNA G-quadruplex formation in plants is globally enhanced in response to cold. Cold-responsive RNA G-quadruplexes strongly enhanced mRNA stability, rather than affecting translation. Disruption of individual RNA G-quadruplex promotes mRNA decay in the cold, leading to impaired plant cold response. Therefore, we propose that plants adopted RNA G-quadruplex structure as a molecular signature to facilitate their adaptation to the cold during evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofei Yang
- grid.27446.330000 0004 1789 9163Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024 China ,grid.9227.e0000000119573309National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032 China ,grid.9227.e0000000119573309CAS-JIC Center of Excellence for Plant and Microbial Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032 China ,grid.14830.3e0000 0001 2175 7246Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH United Kingdom
| | - Haopeng Yu
- grid.27446.330000 0004 1789 9163Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024 China ,grid.14830.3e0000 0001 2175 7246Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH United Kingdom
| | - Susan Duncan
- grid.14830.3e0000 0001 2175 7246Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH United Kingdom
| | - Yueying Zhang
- grid.14830.3e0000 0001 2175 7246Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH United Kingdom
| | - Jitender Cheema
- grid.14830.3e0000 0001 2175 7246Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH United Kingdom
| | - Haifeng Liu
- grid.14830.3e0000 0001 2175 7246Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH United Kingdom ,grid.440622.60000 0000 9482 4676State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Agronomy, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, 271018 China
| | - J. Benjamin Miller
- grid.8273.e0000 0001 1092 7967School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7TJ United Kingdom
| | - Jie Zhang
- grid.14830.3e0000 0001 2175 7246Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH United Kingdom
| | - Chun Kit Kwok
- grid.35030.350000 0004 1792 6846Department of Chemistry and State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, China ,grid.35030.350000 0004 1792 6846Shenzhen Research Institute of City University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, 518057 China
| | - Huakun Zhang
- grid.27446.330000 0004 1789 9163Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024 China
| | - Yiliang Ding
- grid.14830.3e0000 0001 2175 7246Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH United Kingdom
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19
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Bourdon S, Herviou P, Dumas L, Destefanis E, Zen A, Cammas A, Millevoi S, Dassi E. QUADRatlas: the RNA G-quadruplex and RG4-binding proteins database. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 51:D240-D247. [PMID: 36124670 PMCID: PMC9825518 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Revised: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
RNA G-quadruplexes (RG4s) are non-canonical, disease-associated post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression whose functions are driven by RNA-binding proteins (RBPs). Being able to explore transcriptome-wide RG4 formation and interaction with RBPs is thus paramount to understanding how they are regulated and exploiting them as potential therapeutic targets. Towards this goal, we present QUADRatlas (https://rg4db.cibio.unitn.it), a database of experimentally-derived and computationally predicted RG4s in the human transcriptome, enriched with biological function and disease associations. As RBPs are key to their function, we mined known interactions of RG4s with such proteins, complemented with an extensive RBP binding sites dataset. Users can thus intersect RG4s with their potential regulators and effectors, enabling the formulation of novel hypotheses on RG4 regulation, function and pathogenicity. To support this capability, we provide analysis tools for predicting whether an RBP can bind RG4s, RG4 enrichment in a gene set, and de novo RG4 prediction. Genome-browser and table views allow exploring, filtering, and downloading the data quickly for individual genes and in batch. QUADRatlas is a significant step forward in our ability to understand the biology of RG4s, offering unmatched data content and enabling the integrated analysis of RG4s and their interactions with RBPs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Eliana Destefanis
- Laboratory of RNA Regulatory Networks, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, 38123 Trento, Italy,Laboratory of Translational Genomics, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, 38123 Trento, Italy
| | - Andrea Zen
- Laboratory of RNA Regulatory Networks, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, 38123 Trento, Italy
| | - Anne Cammas
- Cancer Research Centre of Toulouse, INSERM UMR 1037, 31037 Toulouse, France,Université Toulouse III – Paul Sabatier, 31330 Toulouse, France
| | | | - Erik Dassi
- To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: +39 0461 282792;
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20
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Zhao H, Wong HY, Ji D, Lyu K, Kwok CK. Novel L-RNA Aptamer Controls APP Gene Expression in Cells by Targeting RNA G-Quadruplex Structure. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2022; 14:30582-30594. [PMID: 35762921 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c06390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Guanine quadruplex (G4) structure is a four-stranded nucleic acid secondary structure motif with unique chemical properties and important biological roles. Amyloid precursor protein (APP) is an Alzheimer's disease (AD)-related gene, and recently, we reported the formation of RNA G4 (rG4) at the 3'UTR of APP mRNA and demonstrated its repressive role in translation. Herein, we apply rG4-SELEX to develop a novel L-RNA aptamer, L-Apt.8f, which binds to APP 3'UTR D-rG4 strongly with subnanomolar affinity. We structurally characterize the aptamer and find that it contains a thermostable and parallel G4 motif, and mutagenesis analysis identifies the key nucleotides that are involved in the target recognition. We also reveal that the L-Apt.8f-APP D-rG4 interaction is enantiomeric-, magnesium ion-, and potassium ion-dependent. Notably, L-Apt.8f preferentially recognizes APP rG4 over other structural motifs, and it can control the APP reporter gene and native transcript translation in cells. Our work introduces a novel strategy and reports a new L-aptamer candidate to target APP 3'UTR rG4 structure, which laid the foundation for further applying L-RNA as an important class of biomolecule for practical L-aptamer-based targeting and controlling of gene expression in cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haizhou Zhao
- Department of Chemistry and State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, SAR 999077, China
| | - Hei Yuen Wong
- Department of Chemistry and State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, SAR 999077, China
| | - Danyang Ji
- Department of Chemistry and State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, SAR 999077, China
| | - Kaixin Lyu
- Department of Chemistry and State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, SAR 999077, China
| | - Chun Kit Kwok
- Department of Chemistry and State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, SAR 999077, China
- Shenzhen Research Institute of City University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen 518057, China
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21
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Lockd promotes myoblast proliferation and muscle regeneration via binding with DHX36 to facilitate 5' UTR rG4 unwinding and Anp32e translation. Cell Rep 2022; 39:110927. [PMID: 35675771 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Revised: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Adult muscle stem cells, also known as satellite cells (SCs), play pivotal roles in muscle regeneration, and long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) functions in SCs remain largely unknown. Here, we identify a lncRNA, Lockd, which is induced in activated SCs upon acute muscle injury. We demonstrate that Lockd promotes SC proliferation; deletion of Lockd leads to cell-cycle arrest, and in vivo repression of Lockd in mouse muscles hinders regeneration process. Mechanistically, we show that Lockd directly interacts with RNA helicase DHX36 and the 5'end of Lockd possesses the strongest binding with DHX36. Furthermore, we demonstrate that Lockd stabilizes the interaction between DHX36 and EIF3B proteins; synergistically, this complex unwinds the RNA G-quadruplex (rG4) structure formed at Anp32e mRNA 5' UTR and promotes the translation of ANP32E protein, which is required for myoblast proliferation. Altogether, our findings identify a regulatory Lockd/DHX36/Anp32e axis that promotes myoblast proliferation and acute-injury-induced muscle regeneration.
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22
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Castelli M, Doria F, Freccero M, Colombo G, Moroni E. Studying the Dynamics of a Complex G-Quadruplex System: Insights into the Comparison of MD and NMR Data. J Chem Theory Comput 2022; 18:4515-4528. [PMID: 35666124 PMCID: PMC9281369 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.2c00291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
![]()
Molecular dynamics
(MD) simulations are coming of age in the study
of nucleic acids, including specific tertiary structures such as G-quadruplexes.
While being precious for providing structural and dynamic information
inaccessible to experiments at the atomistic level of resolution,
MD simulations in this field may still be limited by several factors.
These include the force fields used, different models for ion parameters,
ionic strengths, and water models. We address various aspects of this
problem by analyzing and comparing microsecond-long atomistic simulations
of the G-quadruplex structure formed by the human immunodeficiency
virus long terminal repeat (HIV LTR)-III sequence for which nuclear
magnetic resonance (NMR) structures are available. The system is studied
in different conditions, systematically varying the ionic strengths,
ion numbers, and water models. We comparatively analyze the dynamic
behavior of the G-quadruplex motif in various conditions and assess
the ability of each simulation to satisfy the nuclear magnetic resonance
(NMR)-derived experimental constraints and structural parameters.
The conditions taking into account K+-ions to neutralize
the system charge, mimicking the intracellular ionic strength, and
using the four-atom water model are found to be the best in reproducing
the experimental NMR constraints and data. Our analysis also reveals
that in all of the simulated environments residues belonging to the
duplex moiety of HIV LTR-III exhibit the highest flexibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Castelli
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pavia, V.le Taramelli 12, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Filippo Doria
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pavia, V.le Taramelli 12, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Mauro Freccero
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pavia, V.le Taramelli 12, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Giorgio Colombo
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pavia, V.le Taramelli 12, 27100 Pavia, Italy.,Institute of Chemical Sciences and Technologies SCITEC-CNR, Via Mario Bianco, 9, 20131 Milano, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Moroni
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Technologies SCITEC-CNR, Via Mario Bianco, 9, 20131 Milano, Italy
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23
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Umar MI, Chan CY, Kwok CK. Development of RNA G-quadruplex (rG4)-targeting L-RNA aptamers by rG4-SELEX. Nat Protoc 2022; 17:1385-1414. [PMID: 35444329 DOI: 10.1038/s41596-022-00679-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
RNA G-quadruplex (rG4)-SELEX is a method that generates L-RNA aptamers to target an rG4 structure of interest, which can be applied to inhibit G-quadruplex-mediated interactions that have important roles in gene regulation and function. Here we present a Protocol Extension substantially modifying an existing SELEX protocol to describe in detail the procedures involved in performing rG4-SELEX to identify rG4-specific binders that can effectively suppress rG4-peptide and rG4-protein associations. This Protocol Extension improves the speed of aptamer discovery and identification, offering a suite of techniques to characterize the aptamer secondary structure and monitor binding affinity and specificity, and demonstrating the utility of the L-RNA aptamer. The previous protocol mainly describes the identification of RNA aptamers against proteins of interest, whereas in this Protocol Extension we present the development of an unnatural RNA aptamer against an RNA structure of interest, with the potential to be applicable to other nucleic acid motifs or biomolecules. rG4-SELEX starts with a random D-RNA library incubated with the L-rG4 target of interest, followed by binding, washing and elution of the library. Enriched D-aptamer candidates are sequenced and structurally characterized. Then, the L-aptamer is synthesized and used for different applications. rG4-SELEX can be carried out by an experienced molecular biologist with a basic understanding of nucleic acids. The development of rG4-targeting L-RNA aptamers expands the current rG4 toolkit to explore innovative rG4-related applications, and opens new doors to discovering novel rG4 biology in the near future. The duration of each selection cycle as outlined in the protocol is ~2 d.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mubarak I Umar
- Department of Chemistry and State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, China.,RNA Molecular Biology Group, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Chun-Yin Chan
- Department of Chemistry and State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, China.,Institut für Chemische Epigenetik München (ICEM), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universtität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Chun Kit Kwok
- Department of Chemistry and State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, China. .,Shenzhen Research Institute of City University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China.
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24
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Teng X, Dai Y, Li J. Methodological advances of bioanalysis and biochemical targeting of intracellular G-quadruplexes. EXPLORATION (BEIJING, CHINA) 2022; 2:20210214. [PMID: 37323879 PMCID: PMC10191030 DOI: 10.1002/exp.20210214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
G-quadruplexes (G4s) are a kind of non-canonical nucleic acid secondary structures, which involve in various biological processes in living cells. The relationships between G4s and human diseases, such as tumors, neurodegenerative diseases, and viral infections, have attracted great attention in the last decade. G4s are considered as a promising new target for disease treatment. For instance, G4 ligands are reported to be potentially effective in SARS-COV-2 treatment. However, because of the lack of analytical methods with high performance for the identification of intracellular G4s, the detailed mechanisms of the biofunctions of G4s remain elusive. Meanwhile, through demonstrating the principles of how the G4s systematically modulate the cellular processes with advanced detection methods, biochemical targeting of G4s in living cells can be realized by chemical and biological tools and becomes useful in biomedicine. This review highlights recent methodological advances about intracellular G4s and provides an outlook on the improvement of the bioanalysis and biochemical targeting tools of G4s.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xucong Teng
- Department of Chemistry, Center for BioAnalytical Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical BiologyTsinghua UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Yicong Dai
- Department of Chemistry, Center for BioAnalytical Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical BiologyTsinghua UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Jinghong Li
- Department of Chemistry, Center for BioAnalytical Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical BiologyTsinghua UniversityBeijingChina
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25
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Shitikov E, Bespiatykh D, Malakhova M, Bespyatykh J, Bodoev I, Vedekhina T, Zaychikova M, Veselovsky V, Klimina K, Ilina E, Varizhuk A. Genome-Wide Transcriptional Response of Mycobacterium smegmatis MC2155 to G-Quadruplex Ligands BRACO-19 and TMPyP4. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:817024. [PMID: 35308348 PMCID: PMC8931766 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.817024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
G-quadruplexes (G4s) are non-canonical DNA structures that could be considered as potential therapeutic targets for antimicrobial compounds, also known as G4-stabilizing ligands. While some of these ligands are shown in vitro to have a stabilizing effect, the precise mechanism of antibacterial action has not been fully investigated. Here, we employed genome-wide RNA-sequencing to analyze the response of Mycobacterium smegmatis to inhibitory concentrations of BRACO-19 and TMPyP4 G4 ligands. The expression profile changed (FDR < 0.05, log2FC > |1|) for 822 (515↑; 307↓) genes in M. smegmatis in response to BRACO-19 and for 680 (339↑; 341↓) genes in response to TMPyP4. However, the analysis revealed no significant ligand-induced changes in the expression levels of G4-harboring genes, genes under G4-harboring promoters, or intergenic regions located on mRNA-like or template strands. Meanwhile, for the BRACO-19 ligand, we found significant changes in the replication and repair system genes, as well as in iron metabolism genes which is, undoubtedly, evidence of the induced stress. For the TMPyP4 compound, substantial changes were found in transcription factors and the arginine biosynthesis system, which may indicate multiple biological targets for this compound.
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26
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Ghosh A, Pandey SP, Ansari AH, Sundar J, Singh P, Khan Y, Ekka MK, Chakraborty D, Maiti S. Alternative splicing modulation mediated by G-quadruplex structures in MALAT1 lncRNA. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:378-396. [PMID: 34761272 PMCID: PMC8754661 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab1066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2021] [Revised: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
MALAT1, an abundant lncRNA specifically localized to nuclear speckles, regulates alternative-splicing (AS). The molecular basis of its role in AS remains poorly understood. Here, we report three conserved, thermodynamically stable, parallel RNA-G-quadruplexes (rG4s) present in the 3' region of MALAT1 which regulates this function. Using rG4 domain-specific RNA-pull-down followed by mass-spectrometry, RNA-immuno-precipitation, and imaging, we demonstrate the rG4 dependent localization of Nucleolin (NCL) and Nucleophosmin (NPM) to nuclear speckles. Specific G-to-A mutations that abolish rG4 structures, result in the localization loss of both the proteins from speckles. Functionally, disruption of rG4 in MALAT1 phenocopies NCL knockdown resulting in altered pre-mRNA splicing of endogenous genes. These results reveal a central role of rG4s within the 3' region of MALAT1 orchestrating AS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arpita Ghosh
- CSIR-Institute of Genomics & Integrative Biology, Mathura Road, Delhi 110025, India
- Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research, CSIR- Human Resource Development Centre (CSIR-HRDC) Campus, Sector 19, Kamla Nehru Nagar, Ghaziabad 201 002, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Satya Prakash Pandey
- CSIR-Institute of Genomics & Integrative Biology, Mathura Road, Delhi 110025, India
- Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research, CSIR- Human Resource Development Centre (CSIR-HRDC) Campus, Sector 19, Kamla Nehru Nagar, Ghaziabad 201 002, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Asgar Hussain Ansari
- CSIR-Institute of Genomics & Integrative Biology, Mathura Road, Delhi 110025, India
- Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research, CSIR- Human Resource Development Centre (CSIR-HRDC) Campus, Sector 19, Kamla Nehru Nagar, Ghaziabad 201 002, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | | | - Praveen Singh
- CSIR-Institute of Genomics & Integrative Biology, Mathura Road, Delhi 110025, India
- Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research, CSIR- Human Resource Development Centre (CSIR-HRDC) Campus, Sector 19, Kamla Nehru Nagar, Ghaziabad 201 002, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Yasmeen Khan
- CSIR-Institute of Genomics & Integrative Biology, Mathura Road, Delhi 110025, India
- Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research, CSIR- Human Resource Development Centre (CSIR-HRDC) Campus, Sector 19, Kamla Nehru Nagar, Ghaziabad 201 002, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Mary Krishna Ekka
- CSIR-Institute of Genomics & Integrative Biology, Mathura Road, Delhi 110025, India
- Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research, CSIR- Human Resource Development Centre (CSIR-HRDC) Campus, Sector 19, Kamla Nehru Nagar, Ghaziabad 201 002, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Debojyoti Chakraborty
- CSIR-Institute of Genomics & Integrative Biology, Mathura Road, Delhi 110025, India
- Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research, CSIR- Human Resource Development Centre (CSIR-HRDC) Campus, Sector 19, Kamla Nehru Nagar, Ghaziabad 201 002, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Souvik Maiti
- CSIR-Institute of Genomics & Integrative Biology, Mathura Road, Delhi 110025, India
- Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research, CSIR- Human Resource Development Centre (CSIR-HRDC) Campus, Sector 19, Kamla Nehru Nagar, Ghaziabad 201 002, Uttar Pradesh, India
- CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, Pune 411 008, India
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27
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Detecting G4 unwinding. Methods Enzymol 2022; 672:261-281. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2022.03.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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28
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Zafferani M, Muralidharan D, Montalvan NI, Hargrove AE. RT-qPCR as a screening platform for mutational and small molecule impacts on structural stability of RNA tertiary structures. RSC Chem Biol 2022; 3:905-915. [PMID: 35866161 PMCID: PMC9257624 DOI: 10.1039/d2cb00015f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The exponential increase in the discovery and characterization of RNA tertiary structures has highlighted their active role in a variety of human diseases, yet often their interactome and specific function remain unknown. Small molecules offer opportunities to both decode these cellular roles and develop therapeutics, however there are few examples of small molecules that target biologically relevant RNA tertiary structures. While RNA triple helices are a particularly attractive target, discovery of triple helix modulators has been hindered by the lack of correlation between small molecule affinity and effect on structural modulation, thereby limiting the utility of affinity-based screening as a primary filtering method. To address this challenge, we developed a high-throughput RT-qPCR screening platform that reports on the effect of mutations and additives, such as small molecules, on the stability of triple helices. Using the 3′-end of the oncogenic long non-coding RNA MALAT1 as a proof-of-concept, we demonstrated the applicability of both a two-step and a one-pot method to assess the impact of mutations and small molecules on the stability of the triple helix. We demonstrated the adaptability of the assay to diverse RNA tertiary structures by applying it to the SARS-CoV-2 pseudoknot, a key viral RNA structure recently identified as an attractive therapeutic target for the development of antivirals. Employment of a functional high-throughput assay as a primary screen will significantly expedite the discovery of probes that modulate the structural landscape of RNA structures and, consequently, help gain insight into the roles of these pervasive structures. RT-qPCR can be harnessed as a small molecule screening platform to read out the effect of small molecules on the structural stability of a variety of RNA targets.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Zafferani
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, 124 Science Drive, Durham, NC 27705, USA
| | | | - Nadeska I. Montalvan
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, 124 Science Drive, Durham, NC 27705, USA
| | - Amanda E. Hargrove
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, 124 Science Drive, Durham, NC 27705, USA
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29
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Xu J, Huang H, Zhou X. G-Quadruplexes in Neurobiology and Virology: Functional Roles and Potential Therapeutic Approaches. JACS AU 2021; 1:2146-2161. [PMID: 34977886 PMCID: PMC8715485 DOI: 10.1021/jacsau.1c00451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
A G-quadruplex (G4) is a four-stranded nucleic acid secondary structure maintained by Hoogsteen hydrogen bonds established between four guanines. Experimental studies and bioinformatics predictions support the hypothesis that these structures are involved in different cellular functions associated with both DNA and RNA processes. An increasing number of diseases have been shown to be associated with abnormal G4 regulation. Here, we describe the existence of G4 and then discuss G4-related pathogenic mechanisms in neurodegenerative diseases and the viral life cycle. Furthermore, we focus on the role of G4s in the design of antiviral therapy and neuropharmacology, including G4 ligands, G4-based aptamers, G4-related proteins, and CRISPR-based sequence editing, along with a discussion of limitations and insights into the prospects of this unusual nucleic acid secondary structure in therapeutics. Finally, we highlight progress and challenges in this field and the potential G4-related research fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinglei Xu
- The
Institute of Advanced Studies, Key Laboratory of Biomedical Polymers-Ministry
of Education, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Haiyan Huang
- Key
Laboratory of Biomedical Polymers-Ministry of Education, College of
Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Wuhan
University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Xiang Zhou
- The
Institute of Advanced Studies, Key Laboratory of Biomedical Polymers-Ministry
of Education, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
- Key
Laboratory of Biomedical Polymers-Ministry of Education, College of
Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Wuhan
University, Wuhan 430072, China
- Email to X.Z.:
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30
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Varshney D, Cuesta SM, Herdy B, Abdullah UB, Tannahill D, Balasubramanian S. RNA G-quadruplex structures control ribosomal protein production. Sci Rep 2021; 11:22735. [PMID: 34815422 PMCID: PMC8611094 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-01847-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Four-stranded G-quadruplex (G4) structures form from guanine-rich tracts, but the extent of their formation in cellular RNA and details of their role in RNA biology remain poorly defined. Herein, we first delineate the presence of endogenous RNA G4s in the human cytoplasmic transcriptome via the binding sites of G4-interacting proteins, DDX3X (previously published), DHX36 and GRSF1. We demonstrate that a sub-population of these RNA G4s are reliably detected as folded structures in cross-linked cellular lysates using the G4 structure-specific antibody BG4. The 5' UTRs of protein coding mRNAs show significant enrichment in folded RNA G4s, particularly those for ribosomal proteins. Mutational disruption of G4s in ribosomal protein UTRs alleviates translation in vitro, whereas in cells, depletion of G4-resolving helicases or treatment with G4-stabilising small molecules inhibit the translation of ribosomal protein mRNAs. Our findings point to a common mode for translational co-regulation mediated by G4 structures. The results reveal a potential avenue for therapeutic intervention in diseases with dysregulated translation, such as cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dhaval Varshney
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0RE, UK
| | - Sergio Martinez Cuesta
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0RE, UK
- Data Sciences and Quantitative Biology, Discovery Sciences, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK
| | - Barbara Herdy
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0RE, UK
| | - Ummi Binti Abdullah
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0RE, UK
- Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - David Tannahill
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0RE, UK
| | - Shankar Balasubramanian
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0RE, UK.
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK.
- School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0SP, UK.
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31
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Targeting of Telomeric Repeat-Containing RNA G-Quadruplexes: From Screening to Biophysical and Biological Characterization of a New Hit Compound. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms221910315. [PMID: 34638655 PMCID: PMC8508872 DOI: 10.3390/ijms221910315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Revised: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA G-quadruplex (G4) structures, either within gene promoter sequences or at telomeres, have been extensively investigated as potential small-molecule therapeutic targets. However, although G4s forming at the telomeric DNA have been extensively investigated as anticancer targets, few studies focus on the telomeric repeat-containing RNA (TERRA), transcribed from telomeres, as potential pharmacological targets. Here, a virtual screening approach to identify a library of drug-like putative TERRA G4 binders, in tandem with circular dichroism melting assay to study their TERRA G4-stabilizing properties, led to the identification of a new hit compound. The affinity of this compound for TERRA RNA and some DNA G4s was analyzed through several biophysical techniques and its biological activity investigated in terms of antiproliferative effect, DNA damage response (DDR) activation, and TERRA RNA expression in high vs. low TERRA-expressing human cancer cells. The selected hit showed good affinity for TERRA G4 and no binding to double-stranded DNA. In addition, biological assays showed that this compound is endowed with a preferential cytotoxic effect on high TERRA-expressing cells, where it induces a DDR at telomeres, probably by displacing TERRA from telomeres. Our studies demonstrate that the identification of TERRA G4-targeting drugs with potential pharmacological effects is achievable, shedding light on new perspectives aimed at discovering new anticancer agents targeting these G4 structures.
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32
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Caterino M, Paeschke K. Action and function of helicases on RNA G-quadruplexes. Methods 2021; 204:110-125. [PMID: 34509630 PMCID: PMC9236196 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2021.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Revised: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Methodological progresses and piling evidence prove the rG4 biology in vivo. rG4s step in virtually every aspect of RNA biology. Helicases unwinding of rG4s is a fine regulatory layer to the downstream processes and general cell homeostasis. The current knowledge is however limited to a few cell lines. The regulation of helicases themselves is delineating as a important question. Non-helicase rG4-processing proteins likely play a role.
The nucleic acid structure called G-quadruplex (G4) is currently discussed to function in nucleic acid-based mechanisms that influence several cellular processes. They can modulate the cellular machinery either positively or negatively, both at the DNA and RNA level. The majority of what we know about G4 biology comes from DNA G4 (dG4) research. RNA G4s (rG4), on the other hand, are gaining interest as researchers become more aware of their role in several aspects of cellular homeostasis. In either case, the correct regulation of G4 structures within cells is essential and demands specialized proteins able to resolve them. Small changes in the formation and unfolding of G4 structures can have severe consequences for the cells that could even stimulate genome instability, apoptosis or proliferation. Helicases are the most relevant negative G4 regulators, which prevent and unfold G4 formation within cells during different pathways. Yet, and despite their importance only a handful of rG4 unwinding helicases have been identified and characterized thus far. This review addresses the current knowledge on rG4s-processing helicases with a focus on methodological approaches. An example of a non-helicase rG4s-unwinding protein is also briefly described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Caterino
- Department of Oncology, Hematology and Rheumatology, University Hospital Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Katrin Paeschke
- Department of Oncology, Hematology and Rheumatology, University Hospital Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany.
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33
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Qi T, Xu Y, Zhou T, Gu W. The Evolution of G-quadruplex Structure in mRNA Untranslated Region. Evol Bioinform Online 2021; 17:11769343211035140. [PMID: 34366661 DOI: 10.1177/11769343211035140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The RNA G-quadruplex (rG4) is a kind of non-canonical high-order secondary structure with important biological functions and is enriched in untranslated regions (UTRs) of protein-coding genes. However, how rG4 structures evolve is largely unknown. Here, we systematically investigated the evolution of RNA sequences around UTR rG4 structures in 5 eukaryotic organisms. We found universal selection on UTR sequences, which facilitated rG4 formation in all the organisms that we analyzed. While G-rich sequences were preferred in the rG4 structural region, C-rich sequences were selectively not preferred. The selective pressure acting on rG4 structures in the UTRs of genes with higher G content was significantly smaller. Furthermore, we found that rG4 structures experienced smaller evolutionary selection near the translation initiation region in the 5' UTR, near the polyadenylation signals in the 3' UTR, and in regions flanking the miRNA targets in the 3' UTR. These results suggest universal selection for rG4 formation in the UTRs of eukaryotic genomes and the selection may be related to the biological functions of rG4s.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Qi
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Sciences and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yuming Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Sciences and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Tong Zhou
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine, Reno, NV, USA
| | - Wanjun Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Sciences and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center of Jiangsu Province of Cancer Prevention and Treatment of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.,School of Artificial Intelligence and Information Technology, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
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34
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Lyu K, Chow EYC, Mou X, Chan TF, Kwok CK. RNA G-quadruplexes (rG4s): genomics and biological functions. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:5426-5450. [PMID: 33772593 PMCID: PMC8191793 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Revised: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
G-quadruplexes (G4s) are non-classical DNA or RNA secondary structures that have been first observed decades ago. Over the years, these four-stranded structural motifs have been demonstrated to have significant regulatory roles in diverse biological processes, but challenges remain in detecting them globally and reliably. Compared to DNA G4s (dG4s), the study of RNA G4s (rG4s) has received less attention until recently. In this review, we will summarize the innovative high-throughput methods recently developed to detect rG4s on a transcriptome-wide scale, highlight the many novel and important functions of rG4 being discovered in vivo across the tree of life, and discuss the key biological questions to be addressed in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaixin Lyu
- Department of Chemistry and State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Eugene Yui-Ching Chow
- School of Life Sciences, and State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Xi Mou
- Department of Chemistry and State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Ting-Fung Chan
- School of Life Sciences, and State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Chun Kit Kwok
- Department of Chemistry and State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, China.,Shenzhen Research Institute of City University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China
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35
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Sperti Rota F, Charbonnier T, Lejault P, Zell J, Bernhard C, Valverde IE, Monchaud D. Biomimetic, Smart, and Multivalent Ligands for G-Quadruplex Isolation and Bioorthogonal Imaging. ACS Chem Biol 2021; 16:905-914. [PMID: 33914525 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.1c00111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
G-quadruplexes (G4s) continue to gather wide attention in the field of chemical biology as their prevalence in the human genome and transcriptome strongly suggests that they play key regulatory roles in cell biology. G4-specific, cell-permeable small molecules (G4-ligands) innovatively permit the interrogation of cellular circuitries in order to assess to what extent G4s influence cell fate and functions. Here, we report on multivalent, biomimetic G4-ligands referred to as TASQs that enable both the isolation and visualization of G4s in human cells. Two biotinylated TASQs, BioTASQ and BioCyTASQ, are indeed efficient molecular tools to isolate G4s from mixtures of nucleic acids through simple affinity capture protocols and to image G4s in cells via a biotin/avidin pretargeted imaging system first applied here to G4s, found to be a reliable alternative to in situ click chemistry.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Thibaut Charbonnier
- ICMUB, CNRS UMR6302, UBFC Dijon, 9, Avenue Alain Savary, 21078 Dijon, France
| | - Pauline Lejault
- ICMUB, CNRS UMR6302, UBFC Dijon, 9, Avenue Alain Savary, 21078 Dijon, France
| | - Joanna Zell
- ICMUB, CNRS UMR6302, UBFC Dijon, 9, Avenue Alain Savary, 21078 Dijon, France
| | - Claire Bernhard
- ICMUB, CNRS UMR6302, UBFC Dijon, 9, Avenue Alain Savary, 21078 Dijon, France
| | - Ibai E Valverde
- ICMUB, CNRS UMR6302, UBFC Dijon, 9, Avenue Alain Savary, 21078 Dijon, France
| | - David Monchaud
- ICMUB, CNRS UMR6302, UBFC Dijon, 9, Avenue Alain Savary, 21078 Dijon, France
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36
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Singh K, Lin J, Lecomte N, Mohan P, Gokce A, Sanghvi VR, Jiang M, Grbovic-Huezo O, Burčul A, Stark SG, Romesser PB, Chang Q, Melchor JP, Beyer RK, Duggan M, Fukase Y, Yang G, Ouerfelli O, Viale A, de Stanchina E, Stamford AW, Meinke PT, Rätsch G, Leach SD, Ouyang Z, Wendel HG. Targeting eIF4A-Dependent Translation of KRAS Signaling Molecules. Cancer Res 2021; 81:2002-2014. [PMID: 33632898 PMCID: PMC8137674 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-20-2929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2020] [Revised: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) epitomizes a deadly cancer driven by abnormal KRAS signaling. Here, we show that the eIF4A RNA helicase is required for translation of key KRAS signaling molecules and that pharmacological inhibition of eIF4A has single-agent activity against murine and human PDAC models at safe dose levels. EIF4A was uniquely required for the translation of mRNAs with long and highly structured 5' untranslated regions, including those with multiple G-quadruplex elements. Computational analyses identified these features in mRNAs encoding KRAS and key downstream molecules. Transcriptome-scale ribosome footprinting accurately identified eIF4A-dependent mRNAs in PDAC, including critical KRAS signaling molecules such as PI3K, RALA, RAC2, MET, MYC, and YAP1. These findings contrast with a recent study that relied on an older method, polysome fractionation, and implicated redox-related genes as eIF4A clients. Together, our findings highlight the power of ribosome footprinting in conjunction with deep RNA sequencing in accurately decoding translational control mechanisms and define the therapeutic mechanism of eIF4A inhibitors in PDAC. SIGNIFICANCE: These findings document the coordinate, eIF4A-dependent translation of RAS-related oncogenic signaling molecules and demonstrate therapeutic efficacy of eIF4A blockade in pancreatic adenocarcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamini Singh
- Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Jianan Lin
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut
| | - Nicolas Lecomte
- David M. Rubenstein Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Prathibha Mohan
- Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Askan Gokce
- David M. Rubenstein Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Viraj R Sanghvi
- Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, Florida
| | - Man Jiang
- Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Olivera Grbovic-Huezo
- Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Antonija Burčul
- Computational Biology Department, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Stefan G Stark
- Computational Biology Department, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
- Department of Computer Science, Biomedical Informatics, ETH, Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Paul B Romesser
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Qing Chang
- Molecular Pharmacology Program, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Jerry P Melchor
- David M. Rubenstein Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Rachel K Beyer
- Cancer Research Technology Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland
| | - Mark Duggan
- Tri-Institutional Drug Development Initiative, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Yoshiyuki Fukase
- Tri-Institutional Drug Development Initiative, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Guangli Yang
- The Organic Synthesis Core Facility, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Ouathek Ouerfelli
- The Organic Synthesis Core Facility, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Agnes Viale
- Integrated Genomics Operation, Center for Molecular Oncology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Elisa de Stanchina
- Molecular Pharmacology Program, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Andrew W Stamford
- Tri-Institutional Drug Development Initiative, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Peter T Meinke
- Tri-Institutional Drug Development Initiative, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Gunnar Rätsch
- Computational Biology Department, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
- Department of Computer Science, Biomedical Informatics, ETH, Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Steven D Leach
- Molecular Systems Biology and Surgery, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth, Norris Cotton Cancer Center at Dartmouth-Hitchcock, Lebanon, New Hampshire
| | - Zhengqing Ouyang
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts
| | - Hans-Guido Wendel
- Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York.
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McRae EKS, Dupas SJ, Atefi N, McKenna SA. Monitoring Enzymatic RNA G-Quadruplex Unwinding Activities by Nuclease Sensitivity and Reverse Transcription Stop Assays. Methods Mol Biol 2021; 2209:163-173. [PMID: 33201469 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-0935-4_11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Multiple different methods have been employed to investigate the unwinding of RNA G-quadruplexes by various helicase proteins. Each has their own pitfalls, namely, looking at non-native or chemically modified RNA sequences, biasing the unwinding process with competing trap nucleotides, and a lack of context sequence to the 5' and 3' of the RNA G-quadruplex structure. Herein we present two straightforward methods that allow for quadruplex unwinding to be monitored on native RNA sequences without the use of fluorescent modifications, specialized equipment, or trap nucleotides to be employed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewan K S McRae
- Department of Chemistry, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Steven J Dupas
- Department of Chemistry, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Negar Atefi
- Department of Chemistry, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Sean A McKenna
- Department of Chemistry, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada. .,Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada. .,Manitoba Institute for Materials, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
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38
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Ji D, Juhas M, Tsang CM, Kwok CK, Li Y, Zhang Y. Discovery of G-quadruplex-forming sequences in SARS-CoV-2. Brief Bioinform 2021; 22:1150-1160. [PMID: 32484220 PMCID: PMC7314185 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbaa114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2020] [Revised: 05/10/2020] [Accepted: 05/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The outbreak caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 has been declared a global health emergency. G-quadruplex structures in genomes have long been considered essential for regulating a number of biological processes in a plethora of organisms. We have analyzed and identified 25 four contiguous GG runs (G2NxG2NyG2NzG2) in the SARS-CoV-2 RNA genome, suggesting putative G-quadruplex-forming sequences (PQSs). Detailed analysis of SARS-CoV-2 PQSs revealed their locations in the open reading frames of ORF1 ab, spike (S), ORF3a, membrane (M) and nucleocapsid (N) genes. Identical PQSs were also found in the other members of the Coronaviridae family. The top-ranked PQSs at positions 13385 and 24268 were confirmed to form RNA G-quadruplex structures in vitro by multiple spectroscopic assays. Furthermore, their direct interactions with viral helicase (nsp13) were determined by microscale thermophoresis. Molecular docking model suggests that nsp13 distorts the G-quadruplex structure by allowing the guanine bases to be flipped away from the guanine quartet planes. Targeting viral helicase and G-quadruplex structure represents an attractive approach for potentially inhibiting the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danyang Ji
- Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, China
| | - Mario Juhas
- universities of Oxford, Cambridge and Zurich. Currently, he works at the University of Fribourg. His work spans microbiology and synthetic biology
| | - Chi Man Tsang
- Department of Anatomical and Cellular Pathology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, China
| | - Chun Kit Kwok
- Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, China, and Shenzhen Research Institute of City University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yongshu Li
- Department of Anatomical and Cellular Pathology at The Chinese University of Hong Kong
| | - Yang Zhang
- College of Science, Harbin Institute of Technology Shenzhen
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39
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Kharel P, Becker G, Tsvetkov V, Ivanov P. Properties and biological impact of RNA G-quadruplexes: from order to turmoil and back. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 48:12534-12555. [PMID: 33264409 PMCID: PMC7736831 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa1126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Revised: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Guanine-quadruplexes (G4s) are non-canonical four-stranded structures that can be formed in guanine (G) rich nucleic acid sequences. A great number of G-rich sequences capable of forming G4 structures have been described based on in vitro analysis, and evidence supporting their formation in live cells continues to accumulate. While formation of DNA G4s (dG4s) within chromatin in vivo has been supported by different chemical, imaging and genomic approaches, formation of RNA G4s (rG4s) in vivo remains a matter of discussion. Recent data support the dynamic nature of G4 formation in the transcriptome. Such dynamic fluctuation of rG4 folding-unfolding underpins the biological significance of these structures in the regulation of RNA metabolism. Moreover, rG4-mediated functions may ultimately be connected to mechanisms underlying disease pathologies and, potentially, provide novel options for therapeutics. In this framework, we will review the landscape of rG4s within the transcriptome, focus on their potential impact on biological processes, and consider an emerging connection of these functions in human health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prakash Kharel
- Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Gertraud Becker
- Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Vladimir Tsvetkov
- Computational Oncology Group, I. M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow 119146, Russia
- Federal Research and Clinical Center for Physical-Chemical Medicine, Federal Medical Biological Agency, Moscow 119435, Russia
- A. V. Topchiev Institute of Petrochemical Synthesis, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 117912, Russia
| | - Pavel Ivanov
- Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Harvard Initiative for RNA Medicine, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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40
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Dumas L, Herviou P, Dassi E, Cammas A, Millevoi S. G-Quadruplexes in RNA Biology: Recent Advances and Future Directions. Trends Biochem Sci 2020; 46:270-283. [PMID: 33303320 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2020.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Revised: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
RNA G-quadruplexes (RG4s) are four-stranded structures known to control gene expression mechanisms, from transcription to protein synthesis, and DNA-related processes. Their potential impact on RNA biology allows these structures to shape cellular processes relevant to disease development, making their targeting for therapeutic purposes an attractive option. We review here the current knowledge on RG4s, focusing on the latest breakthroughs supporting the notion of transient structures that fluctuate dynamically in cellulo, their interplay with RNA modifications, their role in cell compartmentalization, and their deregulation impacting the host immune response. We emphasize RG4-binding proteins as determinants of their transient conformation and effectors of their biological functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leïla Dumas
- Cancer Research Centre of Toulouse, INSERM UMR 1037, 31037 Toulouse, France; Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier, 31330 Toulouse, France
| | - Pauline Herviou
- Cancer Research Centre of Toulouse, INSERM UMR 1037, 31037 Toulouse, France; Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier, 31330 Toulouse, France
| | - Erik Dassi
- Laboratory of RNA Regulatory Networks, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, 38123 Trento, (TN), Italy
| | - Anne Cammas
- Cancer Research Centre of Toulouse, INSERM UMR 1037, 31037 Toulouse, France; Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier, 31330 Toulouse, France
| | - Stefania Millevoi
- Cancer Research Centre of Toulouse, INSERM UMR 1037, 31037 Toulouse, France; Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier, 31330 Toulouse, France.
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41
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Despons L, Martin F. How Many Messenger RNAs Can Be Translated by the START Mechanism? Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21218373. [PMID: 33171614 PMCID: PMC7664666 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21218373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Revised: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Translation initiation is a key step in the protein synthesis stage of the gene expression pathway of all living cells. In this important process, ribosomes have to accurately find the AUG start codon in order to ensure the integrity of the proteome. “Structure Assisted RNA Translation”, or “START”, has been proposed to use stable secondary structures located in the coding sequence to augment start site selection by steric hindrance of the progression of pre-initiation complex on messenger RNA. This implies that such structures have to be located downstream and at on optimal distance from the AUG start codon (i.e., downstream nucleotide +16). In order to assess the importance of the START mechanism in the overall mRNA translation process, we developed a bioinformatic tool to screen coding sequences for such stable structures in a 50 nucleotide-long window spanning the nucleotides from +16 to +65. We screened eight bacterial genomes and six eukaryotic genomes. We found stable structures in 0.6–2.5% of eukaryotic coding sequences. Among these, approximately half of them were structures predicted to form G-quadruplex structures. In humans, we selected 747 structures. In bacteria, the coding sequences from Gram-positive bacteria contained 2.6–4.2% stable structures, whereas the structures were less abundant in Gram-negative bacteria (0.2–2.7%). In contrast to eukaryotes, putative G-quadruplex structures are very rare in the coding sequence of bacteria. Altogether, our study reveals that the START mechanism seems to be an ancient strategy to facilitate the start codon recognition that is used in different kingdoms of life.
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42
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Gudanis D, Kaniowski D, Kulik K, Baranowski D, Gdaniec Z, Nawrot B. Formation of an RNA Quadruplex-Duplex Hybrid in Living Cells between mRNA of the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) and a G-Rich Antisense Oligoribonucleotide. Cells 2020; 9:cells9112375. [PMID: 33138194 PMCID: PMC7692301 DOI: 10.3390/cells9112375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Revised: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Antisense DNA oligonucleotides, short interfering RNAs (siRNAs), and CRISPR/Cas9 genetic tools are the most useful therapeutic nucleic acids regulating gene expression based on the antisense specificity towards messenger RNA. Here, we present an effective novel strategy for inhibiting translation based on the antisense-controlled formation of an RNA quadruplex-duplex hybrid (QDH) between a G-rich RNA antisense oligoribonucleotide (Q-ASO) and specific mRNA, comprising two distant G-tracts. We selected epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) as a well-established target protein in anticancer therapy. The chemically modified, bi-functional anti-EGFR Q-ASO and a 56-nt long EGFR mRNA fragment, in the presence of potassium ions, were shown to form in vitro very stable parallel G-quadruplex containing a 28-nt long external loop folding to two duplex-stem structure. Besides, the Q-ASOs effectively reduced EGFR mRNA levels compared to the non-modified RNA and DNA antisense oligonucleotides (rASO, dASO). In addition, the hybridization specificity of Q-ASO comprising a covalently attached fluorescent tag was confirmed in living cells by visualization of the G4 green fluorescent species in the presence of other antisense inhibitors under competitive conditions. The results presented here offer novel insights into the potential application of Q-ASOs for the detection and/or alteration of (patho)biological processes through RNA:RNA quadruplex-duplex formation in cellular systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorota Gudanis
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, 61-704 Poznan, Poland; (D.B.); (Z.G.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +48-61-852-85-03 (ext. 1286)
| | - Damian Kaniowski
- Centre of Molecular and Macromolecular Studies, Polish Academy of Sciences, 90-363 Lodz, Poland; (D.K.); (K.K.); (B.N.)
| | - Katarzyna Kulik
- Centre of Molecular and Macromolecular Studies, Polish Academy of Sciences, 90-363 Lodz, Poland; (D.K.); (K.K.); (B.N.)
| | - Daniel Baranowski
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, 61-704 Poznan, Poland; (D.B.); (Z.G.)
| | - Zofia Gdaniec
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, 61-704 Poznan, Poland; (D.B.); (Z.G.)
| | - Barbara Nawrot
- Centre of Molecular and Macromolecular Studies, Polish Academy of Sciences, 90-363 Lodz, Poland; (D.K.); (K.K.); (B.N.)
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43
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Umar MI, Kwok CK. Specific suppression of D-RNA G-quadruplex-protein interaction with an L-RNA aptamer. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 48:10125-10141. [PMID: 32976590 PMCID: PMC7544233 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Revised: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
G-quadruplexes (G4s) are nucleic acid structure motifs that are of significance in chemistry and biology. The function of G4s is often governed by their interaction with G4-binding proteins. Few categories of G4-specific tools have been developed to inhibit G4-protein interactions; however, until now there is no aptamer tool being developed to do so. Herein, we present a novel L-RNA aptamer that can generally bind to D-RNA G-quadruplex (rG4) structure, and interfere with rG4-protein interaction. Using hTERC rG4 as the target for in vitro selection, we report the shortest L-aptamer being developed so far, with only 25 nucleotides. Notably, this new aptamer, L-Apt.4-1c, adopts a stem-loop structure with the loop folding into an rG4 motif with two G-quartet, demonstrates preferential binding toward rG4s over non-G4s and DNA G-quadruplexes (dG4s), and suppresses hTERC rG4-nucleolin interactions. We also show that inhibition of rG4-protein interaction using L-RNA aptamer L-Apt.4-1c is comparable to or better than G4-specific ligands such as carboxypyridostatin and QUMA-1 respectively, highlighting that our approach and findings expand the current G4 toolbox, and open a new avenue for diverse applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mubarak I Umar
- Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Chun Kit Kwok
- Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Shenzhen Research Institute of City University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China
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44
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Mou X, Kwok CK. Effect of RNA sequence context and stereochemistry on G-quadruplex-RHAU53 interaction. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2020; 533:1135-1141. [PMID: 33041003 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2020.09.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2020] [Accepted: 09/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
RNA G-quadruplex (rG4) structure and its association with rG4-binding proteins/peptides are important for its function. However, there is very limited study that investigates what factors are involved in rG4 that drive the rG4-protein/peptide interaction. Here we study and uncover the effect of RNA sequence context and stereochemistry on G-quadruplex-peptide interaction. Using rG4-binding RHAU53 peptide as an example, we report that the number of G-quartet, thermostability, overhanging nucleotides, and RNA base chirality have an impact on rG4-RHAU53 binding. Notably, our data also demonstrate that RHAU53 preferentially binds to 5' G-quartet over 3' G-quartet, and showcase that RHAU53 interacts with unnatural L-rG4 for the first time. Our findings reported here offer unique insights to the potential development of targeting tools that recognize rG4 structure and rG4-binding peptide/protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Mou
- Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Chun Kit Kwok
- Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Shenzhen Research Institute of City University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China.
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45
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Tassinari M, Zuffo M, Nadai M, Pirota V, Sevilla Montalvo AC, Doria F, Freccero M, Richter SN. Selective targeting of mutually exclusive DNA G-quadruplexes: HIV-1 LTR as paradigmatic model. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 48:4627-4642. [PMID: 32282912 PMCID: PMC7229848 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2019] [Revised: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 03/11/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Targeting of G-quadruplexes, non-canonical conformations that form in G-rich regions of nucleic acids, has been proposed as a novel therapeutic strategy toward several diseases, including cancer and infections. The unavailability of highly selective molecules targeting a G-quadruplex of choice has hampered relevant applications. Herein, we describe a novel approach, based on naphthalene diimide (NDI)-peptide nucleic acid (PNA) conjugates, taking advantage of the cooperative interaction of the NDI with the G-quadruplex structure and hybridization of the PNA with the flanking region upstream or downstream the targeted G-quadruplex. By biophysical and biomolecular assays, we show that the NDI-PNA conjugates are able to specifically recognize the G-quadruplex of choice within the HIV-1 LTR region, consisting of overlapping and therefore mutually exclusive G-quadruplexes. Additionally, the conjugates can induce and stabilize the least populated G-quadruplex at the expenses of the more stable ones. The general and straightforward design and synthesis, which readily apply to any G4 target of choice, together with both the red-fluorescent emission and the possibility to introduce cellular localization signals, make the novel conjugates available to selectively control G-quadruplex folding over a wide range of applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Tassinari
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, via A. Gabelli 63, 35121 Padova, Italy
| | - Michela Zuffo
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pavia, v. le Taramelli 10, 27100, Pavia, Italy
| | - Matteo Nadai
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, via A. Gabelli 63, 35121 Padova, Italy
| | - Valentina Pirota
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pavia, v. le Taramelli 10, 27100, Pavia, Italy
| | | | - Filippo Doria
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pavia, v. le Taramelli 10, 27100, Pavia, Italy
| | - Mauro Freccero
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pavia, v. le Taramelli 10, 27100, Pavia, Italy
| | - Sara N Richter
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, via A. Gabelli 63, 35121 Padova, Italy
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46
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Yang X, Cheema J, Zhang Y, Deng H, Duncan S, Umar MI, Zhao J, Liu Q, Cao X, Kwok CK, Ding Y. RNA G-quadruplex structures exist and function in vivo in plants. Genome Biol 2020; 21:226. [PMID: 32873317 PMCID: PMC7466424 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-020-02142-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2020] [Accepted: 08/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Guanine-rich sequences are able to form complex RNA structures termed RNA G-quadruplexes in vitro. Because of their high stability, RNA G-quadruplexes are proposed to exist in vivo and are suggested to be associated with important biological relevance. However, there is a lack of direct evidence for RNA G-quadruplex formation in living eukaryotic cells. Therefore, it is unclear whether any purported functions are associated with the specific sequence content or the formation of an RNA G-quadruplex structure. RESULTS Using rG4-seq, we profile the landscape of those guanine-rich regions with the in vitro folding potential in the Arabidopsis transcriptome. We find a global enrichment of RNA G-quadruplexes with two G-quartets whereby the folding potential is strongly influenced by RNA secondary structures. Using in vitro and in vivo RNA chemical structure profiling, we determine that hundreds of RNA G-quadruplex structures are strongly folded in both Arabidopsis and rice, providing direct evidence of RNA G-quadruplex formation in living eukaryotic cells. Subsequent genetic and biochemical analyses show that RNA G-quadruplex folding is able to regulate translation and modulate plant growth. CONCLUSIONS Our study reveals the existence of RNA G-quadruplex in vivo and indicates that RNA G-quadruplex structures act as important regulators of plant development and growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofei Yang
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Jitender Cheema
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Yueying Zhang
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Hongjing Deng
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Susan Duncan
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Mubarak Ishaq Umar
- Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Jieyu Zhao
- Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Qi Liu
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK
- Present Address: School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, BN1 9QG, UK
| | - Xiaofeng Cao
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
| | - Chun Kit Kwok
- Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
- Shenzhen Research Institute of City University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, 518057, China.
| | - Yiliang Ding
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK.
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47
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Patmore DM, Jassim A, Nathan E, Gilbertson RJ, Tahan D, Hoffmann N, Tong Y, Smith KS, Kanneganti TD, Suzuki H, Taylor MD, Northcott P, Gilbertson RJ. DDX3X Suppresses the Susceptibility of Hindbrain Lineages to Medulloblastoma. Dev Cell 2020; 54:455-470.e5. [PMID: 32553121 PMCID: PMC7483908 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2020.05.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2020] [Revised: 04/19/2020] [Accepted: 05/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
DEAD-Box Helicase 3 X-Linked (DDX3X) is frequently mutated in the Wingless (WNT) and Sonic hedghog (SHH) subtypes of medulloblastoma-the commonest malignant childhood brain tumor, but whether DDX3X functions as a medulloblastoma oncogene or tumor suppressor gene is not known. Here, we show that Ddx3x regulates hindbrain patterning and development by controlling Hox gene expression and cell stress signaling. In mice predisposed to Wnt- or Shh medulloblastoma, Ddx3x sensed oncogenic stress and suppressed tumor formation. WNT and SHH medulloblastomas normally arise only in the lower and upper rhombic lips, respectively. Deletion of Ddx3x removed this lineage restriction, enabling both medulloblastoma subtypes to arise in either germinal zone. Thus, DDX3X is a medulloblastoma tumor suppressor that regulates hindbrain development and restricts the competence of cell lineages to form medulloblastoma subtypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deanna M Patmore
- CRUK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Li Ka Shing Centre, Robinson Way, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK
| | - Amir Jassim
- CRUK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Li Ka Shing Centre, Robinson Way, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK
| | - Erica Nathan
- CRUK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Li Ka Shing Centre, Robinson Way, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK
| | - Reuben J Gilbertson
- CRUK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Li Ka Shing Centre, Robinson Way, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK
| | - Daniel Tahan
- CRUK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Li Ka Shing Centre, Robinson Way, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK
| | - Nadin Hoffmann
- CRUK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Li Ka Shing Centre, Robinson Way, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK
| | - Yiai Tong
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Kyle S Smith
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Thirumala-Devi Kanneganti
- Department of Immunology, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Hiromichi Suzuki
- Division of Neurosurgery, The Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G 1X8, Canada
| | - Michael D Taylor
- Division of Neurosurgery, The Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G 1X8, Canada
| | - Paul Northcott
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Richard J Gilbertson
- CRUK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Li Ka Shing Centre, Robinson Way, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK; Department of Oncology, University of Cambridge, Li Ka Shing Centre, Robinson Way, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK.
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48
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Varshney D, Spiegel J, Zyner K, Tannahill D, Balasubramanian S. The regulation and functions of DNA and RNA G-quadruplexes. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2020; 21:459-474. [PMID: 32313204 PMCID: PMC7115845 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-020-0236-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 570] [Impact Index Per Article: 142.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/11/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
DNA and RNA can adopt various secondary structures. Four-stranded G-quadruplex (G4) structures form through self-recognition of guanines into stacked tetrads, and considerable biophysical and structural evidence exists for G4 formation in vitro. Computational studies and sequencing methods have revealed the prevalence of G4 sequence motifs at gene regulatory regions in various genomes, including in humans. Experiments using chemical, molecular and cell biology methods have demonstrated that G4s exist in chromatin DNA and in RNA, and have linked G4 formation with key biological processes ranging from transcription and translation to genome instability and cancer. In this Review, we first discuss the identification of G4s and evidence for their formation in cells using chemical biology, imaging and genomic technologies. We then discuss possible functions of DNA G4s and their interacting proteins, particularly in transcription, telomere biology and genome instability. Roles of RNA G4s in RNA biology, especially in translation, are also discussed. Furthermore, we consider the emerging relationships of G4s with chromatin and with RNA modifications. Finally, we discuss the connection between G4 formation and synthetic lethality in cancer cells, and recent progress towards considering G4s as therapeutic targets in human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dhaval Varshney
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre, Cambridge, UK
| | - Jochen Spiegel
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre, Cambridge, UK
| | - Katherine Zyner
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre, Cambridge, UK
| | - David Tannahill
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre, Cambridge, UK
| | - Shankar Balasubramanian
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre, Cambridge, UK.
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
- School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
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49
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Liu G, Du W, Xu H, Sun Q, Tang D, Zou S, Zhang Y, Ma M, Zhang G, Du X, Ju S, Cheng W, Tian Y, Fu X. RNA G-quadruplex regulates microRNA-26a biogenesis and function. J Hepatol 2020; 73:371-382. [PMID: 32165252 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2020.02.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Revised: 02/14/2020] [Accepted: 02/28/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS RNA G-quadruplexes (RG4s) appear to be important in post-transcriptional gene regulation, but their pathophysiological functions remain unknown. MicroRNA-26a (miR-26a) is emerging as a therapeutic target for various human diseases, however the mechanisms underlying endogenous miR-26a regulation are poorly understood. Herein, we study the role of RG4 in miR-26a expression and function in vitro and in vivo. METHODS Putative RG4s within liver-enriched miRNAs were predicted by bioinformatic analysis, and the presence of an RG4 structure in the miR-26a-1 precursor (pre-miR-26a-1) was further analyzed by biophysical and biochemical methods. RG4 stabilizers, pre-miR-26a-1 overexpression plasmids, and luciferase reporter assays were used to assess the effect of RG4 on pre-miR-26a-1 maturation. Both miR-26a knock-in and knockout mouse models were employed to investigate the influence of this RG4 on miR-26a expression and function. Moreover, the interaction between RG4 in pre-miR-26a-1 and DEAH-box helicase 36 (DHX36) was determined by biophysical and molecular methods. Finally, miR-26a processing and DHX36 expression were quantified in the livers of obese mice. RESULTS We identify a guanine-rich sequence in pre-miR-26a-1 that can fold into an RG4 structure. This RG4 impairs pre-miR-26a-1 maturation, resulting in a decrease in miR-26a expression and subsequently an increase in miR-26a cognate targets. In line with known miR-26a functions, this RG4 can regulate hepatic insulin sensitivity and lipid metabolism in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, we reveal that DHX36 can bind and unwind this RG4 structure, thereby enhancing miR-26a maturation. Intriguingly, there is a concordant decrease of miR-26a maturation and DHX36 expression in obese mouse livers. CONCLUSIONS Our findings define a dynamic DHX36/RG4/miR-26a regulatory axis during obesity, highlighting an important role of RG4 in physiology and pathology. LAY SUMMARY Specific RNA sequences called G-quadruplexes (or RG4) appear to be important in post-transcriptional gene regulation. Obesity leads to the formation of these RG4 structures in pre-miR-26a-1 molecules, impairing the maturation and function of miR-26a, which has emerged as a therapeutic target in several diseases. This contributes to hepatic insulin resistance and the dysregulation of liver metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geng Liu
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Wenya Du
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Haixia Xu
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Qiu Sun
- Division of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Dongmei Tang
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Sailan Zou
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Meilin Ma
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Guixiang Zhang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Xiao Du
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China; Department of General Surgery, Yaan People's Hospital, Yaan 625000, Sichuan, China
| | - Shenggen Ju
- College of Computer Science, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Wei Cheng
- Division of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Yan Tian
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Xianghui Fu
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China.
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50
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Decoding mRNA translatability and stability from the 5' UTR. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2020; 27:814-821. [PMID: 32719458 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-020-0465-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Precise control of protein synthesis by engineering sequence elements in 5' untranslated regions (5' UTRs) remains a fundamental challenge. To accelerate our understanding of the cis-regulatory code embedded in 5' UTRs, we devised massively parallel reporter assays from a synthetic messenger RNA library composed of over one million 5' UTR variants. A completely randomized 10-nucleotide sequence preceding an upstream open reading frame (uORF) and downstream GFP drives a broad range of translational outputs and mRNA stability in mammalian cells. While efficient translation protects mRNA from degradation, uORF translation triggers mRNA decay in a UPF1-dependent manner. We also identified translational inhibitory elements with G-quadruplexes as marks for mRNA decay in P-bodies. Unexpectedly, an unstructured A-rich element in 5' UTRs destabilizes mRNAs in the absence of translation, although it enables cap-independent translation. Our results not only identify diverse sequence features of 5' UTRs that control mRNA translatability, but they also reveal ribosome-dependent and ribosome-independent mRNA-surveillance pathways.
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