1
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Seitz H. A new perspective on microRNA-guided gene regulation specificity, and its potential generalization to transcription factors and RNA-binding proteins. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:9360-9368. [PMID: 39149906 PMCID: PMC11381331 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2024] [Revised: 07/25/2024] [Accepted: 07/31/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Our conception of gene regulation specificity has undergone profound changes over the last 20 years. Previously, regulators were considered to control few genes, recognized with exquisite specificity by a 'lock and key' mechanism. However, recently genome-wide exploration of regulator binding site occupancy (whether on DNA or RNA targets) revealed extensive lists of molecular targets for every studied regulator. Such poor biochemical specificity suggested that each regulator controls many genes, collectively contributing to biological phenotypes. Here, I propose a third model, whereby regulators' biological specificity is only partially due to 'lock and key' biochemistry. Rather, regulators affect many genes at the microscopic scale, but biological consequences for most interactions are attenuated at the mesoscopic scale: only a few regulatory events propagate from microscopic to macroscopic scale; others are made inconsequential by homeostatic mechanisms. This model is well supported by the microRNA literature, and data suggest that it extends to other regulators. It reconciles contradicting observations from biochemistry and comparative genomics on one hand and in vivo genetics on the other hand, but this conceptual unification is obscured by common misconceptions and counter-intuitive modes of graphical display. Profound understanding of gene regulation requires conceptual clarification, and better suited statistical analyses and graphical representation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hervé Seitz
- Institut de Génétique Humaine (UMR 9002), CNRS, 141, rue de la Cardonille, 34396 Montpellier, France
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2
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Xu L, Liu Y. Identification, Design, and Application of Noncoding Cis-Regulatory Elements. Biomolecules 2024; 14:945. [PMID: 39199333 PMCID: PMC11352686 DOI: 10.3390/biom14080945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2024] [Revised: 07/25/2024] [Accepted: 07/30/2024] [Indexed: 09/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Cis-regulatory elements (CREs) play a pivotal role in orchestrating interactions with trans-regulatory factors such as transcription factors, RNA-binding proteins, and noncoding RNAs. These interactions are fundamental to the molecular architecture underpinning complex and diverse biological functions in living organisms, facilitating a myriad of sophisticated and dynamic processes. The rapid advancement in the identification and characterization of these regulatory elements has been marked by initiatives such as the Encyclopedia of DNA Elements (ENCODE) project, which represents a significant milestone in the field. Concurrently, the development of CRE detection technologies, exemplified by massively parallel reporter assays, has progressed at an impressive pace, providing powerful tools for CRE discovery. The exponential growth of multimodal functional genomic data has necessitated the application of advanced analytical methods. Deep learning algorithms, particularly large language models, have emerged as invaluable tools for deconstructing the intricate nucleotide sequences governing CRE function. These advancements facilitate precise predictions of CRE activity and enable the de novo design of CREs. A deeper understanding of CRE operational dynamics is crucial for harnessing their versatile regulatory properties. Such insights are instrumental in refining gene therapy techniques, enhancing the efficacy of selective breeding programs, pushing the boundaries of genetic innovation, and opening new possibilities in microbial synthetic biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingna Xu
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multi-Omics of MARA, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen 518124, China;
- Innovation Group of Pig Genome Design and Breeding, Research Centre for Animal Genome, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen 518124, China
| | - Yuwen Liu
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multi-Omics of MARA, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen 518124, China;
- Innovation Group of Pig Genome Design and Breeding, Research Centre for Animal Genome, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen 518124, China
- Kunpeng Institute of Modern Agriculture at Foshan, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Foshan 528226, China
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3
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Li G, Wu J, Wang X. Predicting functional UTR variants by integrating region-specific features. Brief Bioinform 2024; 25:bbae248. [PMID: 38783704 PMCID: PMC11116830 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbae248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 03/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The untranslated region (UTR) of messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA), including the 5'UTR and 3'UTR, plays a critical role in regulating gene expression and translation. Variants within the UTR can lead to changes associated with human traits and diseases; however, computational prediction of UTR variant effect is challenging. Current noncoding variant prediction mainly focuses on the promoters and enhancers, neglecting the unique sequence of the UTR and thereby limiting their predictive accuracy. In this study, using consolidated datasets of UTR variants from disease databases and large-scale experimental data, we systematically analyzed more than 50 region-specific features of UTR, including functional elements, secondary structure, sequence composition and site conservation. Our analysis reveals that certain features, such as C/G-related sequence composition in 5'UTR and A/T-related sequence composition in 3'UTR, effectively differentiate between nonfunctional and functional variant sets, unveiling potential sequence determinants of functional UTR variants. Leveraging these insights, we developed two classification models to predict functional UTR variants using machine learning, achieving an area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.94 for 5'UTR and 0.85 for 3'UTR, outperforming all existing methods. Our models will be valuable for enhancing clinical interpretation of genetic variants, facilitating the prediction and management of disease risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangyu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Common Mechanism Research for Major Diseases; Center for bioinformatics, National Infrastructures for Translational Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine and Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 1 Shuai Fu Yuan, Dongcheng District, Beijing 100005, China
| | - Jiayu Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Common Mechanism Research for Major Diseases; Center for bioinformatics, National Infrastructures for Translational Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine and Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 1 Shuai Fu Yuan, Dongcheng District, Beijing 100005, China
| | - Xiaoyue Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Common Mechanism Research for Major Diseases; Center for bioinformatics, National Infrastructures for Translational Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine and Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 1 Shuai Fu Yuan, Dongcheng District, Beijing 100005, China
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4
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Miliotis C, Ma Y, Katopodi XL, Karagkouni D, Kanata E, Mattioli K, Kalavros N, Pita-Juárez YH, Batalini F, Ramnarine VR, Nanda S, Slack FJ, Vlachos IS. Determinants of gastric cancer immune escape identified from non-coding immune-landscape quantitative trait loci. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4319. [PMID: 38773080 PMCID: PMC11109163 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48436-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The landscape of non-coding mutations in cancer progression and immune evasion is largely unexplored. Here, we identify transcrptome-wide somatic and germline 3' untranslated region (3'-UTR) variants from 375 gastric cancer patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas. By performing gene expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) and immune landscape QTL (ilQTL) analysis, we discover 3'-UTR variants with cis effects on expression and immune landscape phenotypes, such as immune cell infiltration and T cell receptor diversity. Using a massively parallel reporter assay, we distinguish between causal and correlative effects of 3'-UTR eQTLs in immune-related genes. Our approach identifies numerous 3'-UTR eQTLs and ilQTLs, providing a unique resource for the identification of immunotherapeutic targets and biomarkers. A prioritized ilQTL variant signature predicts response to immunotherapy better than standard-of-care PD-L1 expression in independent patient cohorts, showcasing the untapped potential of non-coding mutations in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christos Miliotis
- Harvard Medical School Initiative for RNA Medicine, Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Program in Virology, Harvard University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yuling Ma
- Harvard Medical School Initiative for RNA Medicine, Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Xanthi-Lida Katopodi
- Harvard Medical School Initiative for RNA Medicine, Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Dimitra Karagkouni
- Harvard Medical School Initiative for RNA Medicine, Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Cancer Center & Cancer Research Institute, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Eleni Kanata
- Harvard Medical School Initiative for RNA Medicine, Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kaia Mattioli
- Harvard Medical School Initiative for RNA Medicine, Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nikolas Kalavros
- Harvard Medical School Initiative for RNA Medicine, Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Spatial Technologies Unit, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yered H Pita-Juárez
- Harvard Medical School Initiative for RNA Medicine, Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Felipe Batalini
- Harvard Medical School Initiative for RNA Medicine, Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Varune R Ramnarine
- Harvard Medical School Initiative for RNA Medicine, Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Shivani Nanda
- Harvard Medical School Initiative for RNA Medicine, Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Cancer Center & Cancer Research Institute, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Frank J Slack
- Harvard Medical School Initiative for RNA Medicine, Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Cancer Center & Cancer Research Institute, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Ioannis S Vlachos
- Harvard Medical School Initiative for RNA Medicine, Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Cancer Center & Cancer Research Institute, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Spatial Technologies Unit, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA.
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5
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Musaev D, Abdelmessih M, Vejnar CE, Yartseva V, Weiss LA, Strayer EC, Takacs CM, Giraldez AJ. UPF1 regulates mRNA stability by sensing poorly translated coding sequences. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114074. [PMID: 38625794 PMCID: PMC11259039 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Post-transcriptional mRNA regulation shapes gene expression, yet how cis-elements and mRNA translation interface to regulate mRNA stability is poorly understood. We find that the strength of translation initiation, upstream open reading frame (uORF) content, codon optimality, AU-rich elements, microRNA binding sites, and open reading frame (ORF) length function combinatorially to regulate mRNA stability. Machine-learning analysis identifies ORF length as the most important conserved feature regulating mRNA decay. We find that Upf1 binds poorly translated and untranslated ORFs, which are associated with a higher decay rate, including mRNAs with uORFs and those with exposed ORFs after stop codons. Our study emphasizes Upf1's converging role in surveilling mRNAs with exposed ORFs that are poorly translated, such as mRNAs with long ORFs, ORF-like 3' UTRs, and mRNAs containing uORFs. We propose that Upf1 regulation of poorly/untranslated ORFs provides a unifying mechanism of surveillance in regulating mRNA stability and homeostasis in an exon-junction complex (EJC)-independent nonsense-mediated decay (NMD) pathway that we term ORF-mediated decay (OMD).
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Affiliation(s)
- Damir Musaev
- Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Mario Abdelmessih
- Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; AstraZeneca, Waltham, MA 02451, USA
| | - Charles E Vejnar
- Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Valeria Yartseva
- Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Kenai Therapeutics, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Linnea A Weiss
- Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Ethan C Strayer
- Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Carter M Takacs
- Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; University of New Haven, West Haven, CT 06516, USA
| | - Antonio J Giraldez
- Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Yale Cancer Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA.
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6
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Kim YA, Mousavi K, Yazdi A, Zwierzyna M, Cardinali M, Fox D, Peel T, Coller J, Aggarwal K, Maruggi G. Computational design of mRNA vaccines. Vaccine 2024; 42:1831-1840. [PMID: 37479613 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2023.07.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/23/2023]
Abstract
mRNA technology has emerged as a successful vaccine platform that offered a swift response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Accumulating evidence shows that vaccine efficacy, thermostability, and other important properties, are largely impacted by intrinsic properties of the mRNA molecule, such as RNA sequence and structure, both of which can be optimized. Designing mRNA sequence for vaccines presents a combinatorial problem due to an extremely large selection space. For instance, due to the degeneracy of the genetic code, there are over 10632 possible mRNA sequences that could encode the spike protein, the COVID-19 vaccines' target. Moreover, designing different elements of the mRNA sequence simultaneously against multiple objectives such as translational efficiency, reduced reactogenicity, and improved stability requires an efficient and sophisticated optimization strategy. Recently, there has been a growing interest in utilizing computational tools to redesign mRNA sequences to improve vaccine characteristics and expedite discovery timelines. In this review, we explore important biophysical features of mRNA to be considered for vaccine design and discuss how computational approaches can be applied to rapidly design mRNA sequences with desirable characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Jeff Coller
- Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
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7
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Su Q, Wang J, Kang K, Niu Y, Li S, Gou D. Critical view on oligo(dT)-based RNA-seq: bias arising, modeling, and mitigating. Genetics 2024; 226:iyad190. [PMID: 37857456 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyad190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The precise biological interpretation of oligo(dT)-based RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) datasets, particularly in single-cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq), is invaluable for understanding complex biological systems. However, the presence of biases can lead to misleading results in downstream analysis. This study has now identified two additional biases that are not accounted for in established bias models: poly(A)-tail length bias and fixed-position GC-content bias. These biases have a significant negative impact on the overall quality of oligo(dT)-based RNA-seq data. To address these biases, we have developed a universal bias-mitigating method based on the lower-affinity binding of short and nonanchored oligo(dT) primers to poly(A) tails. This method significantly reduces poly(A) length bias and completely eliminates fixed-position GC bias. Furthermore, the use of short oligo(dT) with impartial binding behavior toward the diverse poly(A) tails renders RNA-seq with more reliable measurements. The findings of this study are particularly beneficial for scRNA-seq datasets, where accurate benchmarking is critical.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Su
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Microbial Genetic Engineering, Vascular Disease Research Center, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Regional Immunity and Disease, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, China
| | - Jun Wang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Microbial Genetic Engineering, Vascular Disease Research Center, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Regional Immunity and Disease, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, China
| | - Kang Kang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Regional Immunity and Diseases, Carson International Cancer Center, Shenzhen University Health Sciences Center, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518060, China
| | - Yanqin Niu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Microbial Genetic Engineering, Vascular Disease Research Center, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Regional Immunity and Disease, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, China
| | - Shujin Li
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Microbial Genetic Engineering, Vascular Disease Research Center, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Regional Immunity and Disease, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, China
| | - Deming Gou
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Microbial Genetic Engineering, Vascular Disease Research Center, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Regional Immunity and Disease, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, China
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8
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Lagunas T, Plassmeyer SP, Fischer AD, Friedman RZ, Rieger MA, Selmanovic D, Sarafinovska S, Sol YK, Kasper MJ, Fass SB, Aguilar Lucero AF, An JY, Sanders SJ, Cohen BA, Dougherty JD. A Cre-dependent massively parallel reporter assay allows for cell-type specific assessment of the functional effects of non-coding elements in vivo. Commun Biol 2023; 6:1151. [PMID: 37953348 PMCID: PMC10641075 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05483-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The function of regulatory elements is highly dependent on the cellular context, and thus for understanding the function of elements associated with psychiatric diseases these would ideally be studied in neurons in a living brain. Massively Parallel Reporter Assays (MPRAs) are molecular genetic tools that enable functional screening of hundreds of predefined sequences in a single experiment. These assays have not yet been adapted to query specific cell types in vivo in a complex tissue like the mouse brain. Here, using a test-case 3'UTR MPRA library with genomic elements containing variants from autism patients, we developed a method to achieve reproducible measurements of element effects in vivo in a cell type-specific manner, using excitatory cortical neurons and striatal medium spiny neurons as test cases. This targeted technique should enable robust, functional annotation of genetic elements in the cellular contexts most relevant to psychiatric disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomas Lagunas
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis, MO, 63108, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine., 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis, MO, 63108, USA
- Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis, MO, 63108, USA
| | - Stephen P Plassmeyer
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis, MO, 63108, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine., 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis, MO, 63108, USA
| | - Anthony D Fischer
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis, MO, 63108, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine., 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis, MO, 63108, USA
| | - Ryan Z Friedman
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis, MO, 63108, USA
- Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis, MO, 63108, USA
| | - Michael A Rieger
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis, MO, 63108, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine., 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis, MO, 63108, USA
- Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis, MO, 63108, USA
| | - Din Selmanovic
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis, MO, 63108, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine., 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis, MO, 63108, USA
- Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis, MO, 63108, USA
| | - Simona Sarafinovska
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis, MO, 63108, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine., 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis, MO, 63108, USA
| | - Yvette K Sol
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis, MO, 63108, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine., 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis, MO, 63108, USA
| | - Michael J Kasper
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis, MO, 63108, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine., 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis, MO, 63108, USA
| | - Stuart B Fass
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis, MO, 63108, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine., 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis, MO, 63108, USA
| | - Alessandra F Aguilar Lucero
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neuroscience, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94518, USA
| | - Joon-Yong An
- Department of Integrated Biomedical and Life Science, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
- School of Biosystem and Biomedical Science, College of Health Science, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Stephan J Sanders
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neuroscience, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94518, USA
| | - Barak A Cohen
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis, MO, 63108, USA
| | - Joseph D Dougherty
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis, MO, 63108, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine., 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis, MO, 63108, USA.
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9
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Su Q, Long Y, Wang J, Gou D. CLT-seq as a universal homopolymer-sequencing concept reveals poly(A)-tail-tuned ncRNA regulation. Brief Bioinform 2023; 24:bbad374. [PMID: 37874949 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbad374] [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: 05/22/2023] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Dynamic tuning of the poly(A) tail is a crucial mechanism for controlling translation and stability of eukaryotic mRNA. Achieving a comprehensive understanding of how this regulation occurs requires unbiased abundance quantification of poly(A)-tail transcripts and simple poly(A)-length measurement using high-throughput sequencing platforms. Current methods have limitations due to complicated setups and elaborate library preparation plans. To address this, we introduce central limit theorem (CLT)-managed RNA-seq (CLT-seq), a simple and straightforward homopolymer-sequencing method. In CLT-seq, an anchor-free oligo(dT) primer rapidly binds to and unbinds from anywhere along the poly(A) tail string, leading to position-directed reverse transcription with equal probability. The CLT mechanism enables the synthesized poly(T) lengths, which correspond to the templated segment of the poly(A) tail, to distribute normally. Based on a well-fitted pseudogaussian-derived poly(A)-poly(T) conversion model, the actual poly(A)-tail profile is reconstructed from the acquired poly(T)-length profile through matrix operations. CLT-seq follows a simple procedure without requiring RNA-related pre-treatment, enrichment or selection, and the CLT-shortened poly(T) stretches are more compatible with existing sequencing platforms. This proof-of-concept approach facilitates direct homopolymer base-calling and features unbiased RNA-seq. Therefore, CLT-seq provides unbiased, robust and cost-efficient transcriptome-wide poly(A)-tail profiling. We demonstrate that CLT-seq on the most common Illumina platform delivers reliable poly(A)-tail profiling at a transcriptome-wide scale in human cellular contexts. We find that the poly(A)-tail-tuned ncRNA regulation undergoes a dynamic, complex process similar to mRNA regulation. Overall, CLT-seq offers a simplified, effective and economical approach to investigate poly(A)-tail regulation, with potential implications for understanding gene expression and identifying therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Su
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Microbial Genetic Engineering, Vascular Disease Research Center, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Regional Immunity and Disease, Shenzhen University, 1066 Xueyuan Street, Nanshan District, Shenzhen 518055, Guangdong, China
| | - Yi Long
- The School of Medicine, Life and Health Sciences (MED | LHS), Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, No. 2001 Longxiang Blvd., Longgang District, Shenzhen 518172, Guangdong, China
| | - Jun Wang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Microbial Genetic Engineering, Vascular Disease Research Center, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Regional Immunity and Disease, Shenzhen University, 1066 Xueyuan Street, Nanshan District, Shenzhen 518055, Guangdong, China
| | - Deming Gou
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Microbial Genetic Engineering, Vascular Disease Research Center, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Regional Immunity and Disease, Shenzhen University, 1066 Xueyuan Street, Nanshan District, Shenzhen 518055, Guangdong, China
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10
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Kleinschmidt H, Xu C, Bai L. Using Synthetic DNA Libraries to Investigate Chromatin and Gene Regulation. Chromosoma 2023; 132:167-189. [PMID: 37184694 PMCID: PMC10542970 DOI: 10.1007/s00412-023-00796-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Despite the recent explosion in genome-wide studies in chromatin and gene regulation, we are still far from extracting a set of genetic rules that can predict the function of the regulatory genome. One major reason for this deficiency is that gene regulation is a multi-layered process that involves an enormous variable space, which cannot be fully explored using native genomes. This problem can be partially solved by introducing synthetic DNA libraries into cells, a method that can test the regulatory roles of thousands to millions of sequences with limited variables. Here, we review recent applications of this method to study transcription factor (TF) binding, nucleosome positioning, and transcriptional activity. We discuss the design principles, experimental procedures, and major findings from these studies and compare the pros and cons of different approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Holly Kleinschmidt
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- Center for Eukaryotic Gene Regulation, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Cheng Xu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- Center for Eukaryotic Gene Regulation, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Lu Bai
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
- Center for Eukaryotic Gene Regulation, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
- Department of Physics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
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11
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Schuster SL, Arora S, Wladyka CL, Itagi P, Corey L, Young D, Stackhouse BL, Kollath L, Wu QV, Corey E, True LD, Ha G, Paddison PJ, Hsieh AC. Multi-level functional genomics reveals molecular and cellular oncogenicity of patient-based 3' untranslated region mutations. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112840. [PMID: 37516102 PMCID: PMC10540565 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/31/2023] Open
Abstract
3' untranslated region (3' UTR) somatic mutations represent a largely unexplored avenue of alternative oncogenic gene dysregulation. To determine the significance of 3' UTR mutations in disease, we identify 3' UTR somatic variants across 185 advanced prostate tumors, discovering 14,497 single-nucleotide mutations enriched in oncogenic pathways and 3' UTR regulatory elements. By developing two complementary massively parallel reporter assays, we measure how thousands of patient-based mutations affect mRNA translation and stability and identify hundreds of functional variants that allow us to define determinants of mutation significance. We demonstrate the clinical relevance of these mutations, observing that CRISPR-Cas9 endogenous editing of distinct variants increases cellular stress resistance and that patients harboring oncogenic 3' UTR mutations have a particularly poor prognosis. This work represents an expansive view of the extent to which disease-relevant 3' UTR mutations affect mRNA stability, translation, and cancer progression, uncovering principles of regulatory functionality and potential therapeutic targets in previously unexplored regulatory regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha L Schuster
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Sonali Arora
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Cynthia L Wladyka
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Pushpa Itagi
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA; Public Health Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Lukas Corey
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Dave Young
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | | | - Lori Kollath
- Department of Urology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Qian V Wu
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Eva Corey
- Department of Urology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Lawrence D True
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Gavin Ha
- Public Health Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA; Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Patrick J Paddison
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Andrew C Hsieh
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA; Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
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12
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Huynh TQ, Tran VN, Thai VC, Nguyen HA, Nguyen NTG, Tran MK, Nguyen TPT, Le CA, Ho LTN, Surian NU, Chen S, Nguyen TTH. Genomic alterations involved in fluoroquinolone resistance development in Staphylococcus aureus. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0287973. [PMID: 37494330 PMCID: PMC10370734 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0287973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023] Open
Abstract
AIM Fluoroquinolone (FQ) is a potent antibiotic class. However, resistance to this class emerges quickly which hinders its application. In this study, mechanisms leading to the emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) strains under FQ exposure were investigated. METHODOLOGY S. aureus ATCC 29213 was serially exposed to ciprofloxacin (CIP), ofloxacin (OFL), or levofloxacin (LEV) at sub-minimum inhibitory concentrations (sub-MICs) for 12 days to obtain S. aureus -1 strains and antibiotic-free cultured for another 10 days to obtain S. aureus-2 strains. The whole genome (WGS) and target sequencing were applied to analyze genomic alterations; and RT-qPCR was used to access the expressions of efflux-related genes, alternative sigma factors, and genes involved in FQ resistance. RESULTS A strong and irreversible increase of MICs was observed in all applied FQs (32 to 128 times) in all S. aureus-1 and remained 16 to 32 times in all S. aureus-2. WGS indicated 10 noticeable mutations occurring in all FQ-exposed S. aureus including 2 insdel mutations in SACOL0573 and rimI; a synonymous mutation in hslO; and 7 missense mutations located in an untranslated region. GrlA, was found mutated (R570H) in all S. aureus-1 and -2. Genes encoding for efflux pumps and their regulator (norA, norB, norC, and mgrA); alternative sigma factors (sigB and sigS); acetyltransferase (rimI); methicillin resistance (fmtB); and hypothetical protein BJI72_0645 were overexpressed in FQ-exposed strains. CONCLUSION The emergence of MDR S. aureus was associated with the mutations in the FQ-target sequences and the overexpression of efflux pump systems and their regulators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thuc Quyen Huynh
- School of Biotechnology, International University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Research Center for Infectious Diseases, International University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Van Nhi Tran
- School of Biotechnology, International University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Van Chi Thai
- School of Biotechnology, International University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Hoang An Nguyen
- School of Biotechnology, International University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Ngoc Thuy Giang Nguyen
- School of Biotechnology, International University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Minh Khang Tran
- School of Biotechnology, International University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Thi Phuong Truc Nguyen
- School of Biotechnology, International University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Cat Anh Le
- School of Biotechnology, International University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Le Thanh Ngan Ho
- School of Biotechnology, International University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | | | - Swaine Chen
- Genome Institute of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Thi Thu Hoai Nguyen
- School of Biotechnology, International University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Research Center for Infectious Diseases, International University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
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13
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Salvato I, Ricciardi L, Dal Col J, Nigro A, Giurato G, Memoli D, Sellitto A, Lamparelli EP, Crescenzi MA, Vitale M, Vatrella A, Nucera F, Brun P, Caicci F, Dama P, Stiff T, Castellano L, Idrees S, Johansen MD, Faiz A, Wark PA, Hansbro PM, Adcock IM, Caramori G, Stellato C. Expression of targets of the RNA-binding protein AUF-1 in human airway epithelium indicates its role in cellular senescence and inflammation. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1192028. [PMID: 37483631 PMCID: PMC10360199 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1192028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction The RNA-binding protein AU-rich-element factor-1 (AUF-1) participates to posttranscriptional regulation of genes involved in inflammation and cellular senescence, two pathogenic mechanisms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Decreased AUF-1 expression was described in bronchiolar epithelium of COPD patients versus controls and in vitro cytokine- and cigarette smoke-challenged human airway epithelial cells, prompting the identification of epithelial AUF-1-targeted transcripts and function, and investigation on the mechanism of its loss. Results RNA immunoprecipitation-sequencing (RIP-Seq) identified, in the human airway epithelial cell line BEAS-2B, 494 AUF-1-bound mRNAs enriched in their 3'-untranslated regions for a Guanine-Cytosine (GC)-rich binding motif. AUF-1 association with selected transcripts and with a synthetic GC-rich motif were validated by biotin pulldown. AUF-1-targets' steady-state levels were equally affected by partial or near-total AUF-1 loss induced by cytomix (TNFα/IL1β/IFNγ/10 nM each) and siRNA, respectively, with differential transcript decay rates. Cytomix-mediated decrease in AUF-1 levels in BEAS-2B and primary human small-airways epithelium (HSAEC) was replicated by treatment with the senescence- inducer compound etoposide and associated with readouts of cell-cycle arrest, increase in lysosomal damage and senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) factors, and with AUF-1 transfer in extracellular vesicles, detected by transmission electron microscopy and immunoblotting. Extensive in-silico and genome ontology analysis found, consistent with AUF-1 functions, enriched RIP-Seq-derived AUF-1-targets in COPD-related pathways involved in inflammation, senescence, gene regulation and also in the public SASP proteome atlas; AUF-1 target signature was also significantly represented in multiple transcriptomic COPD databases generated from primary HSAEC, from lung tissue and from single-cell RNA-sequencing, displaying a predominant downregulation of expression. Discussion Loss of intracellular AUF-1 may alter posttranscriptional regulation of targets particularly relevant for protection of genomic integrity and gene regulation, thus concurring to airway epithelial inflammatory responses related to oxidative stress and accelerated aging. Exosomal-associated AUF-1 may in turn preserve bound RNA targets and sustain their function, participating to spreading of inflammation and senescence to neighbouring cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilaria Salvato
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry ‘Scuola Medica Salernitana’, University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy
- Respiratory Medicine Unit, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Dentistry and Morphological and Functional Imaging (BIOMORF), University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Luca Ricciardi
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry ‘Scuola Medica Salernitana’, University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy
- Respiratory Medicine Unit, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Dentistry and Morphological and Functional Imaging (BIOMORF), University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Jessica Dal Col
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry ‘Scuola Medica Salernitana’, University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy
| | - Annunziata Nigro
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry ‘Scuola Medica Salernitana’, University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy
| | - Giorgio Giurato
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry ‘Scuola Medica Salernitana’, University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy
| | - Domenico Memoli
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry ‘Scuola Medica Salernitana’, University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy
| | - Assunta Sellitto
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry ‘Scuola Medica Salernitana’, University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy
| | - Erwin Pavel Lamparelli
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry ‘Scuola Medica Salernitana’, University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy
| | - Maria Assunta Crescenzi
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry ‘Scuola Medica Salernitana’, University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy
| | - Monica Vitale
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry ‘Scuola Medica Salernitana’, University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy
| | - Alessandro Vatrella
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry ‘Scuola Medica Salernitana’, University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy
| | - Francesco Nucera
- Respiratory Medicine Unit, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Dentistry and Morphological and Functional Imaging (BIOMORF), University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Paola Brun
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | | | - Paola Dama
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedicine, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas Stiff
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedicine, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom
| | - Leandro Castellano
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedicine, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom
| | - Sobia Idrees
- Centre for Inflammation, Centenary Institute and University of Technology Sydney, Faculty of Science, School of Life Sciences, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Matt D. Johansen
- Centre for Inflammation, Centenary Institute and University of Technology Sydney, Faculty of Science, School of Life Sciences, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Alen Faiz
- Centre for Inflammation, Centenary Institute and University of Technology Sydney, Faculty of Science, School of Life Sciences, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Peter A. Wark
- Immune Health, Hunter Medical Research Institute and The University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, Australia
| | - Philip M. Hansbro
- Centre for Inflammation, Centenary Institute and University of Technology Sydney, Faculty of Science, School of Life Sciences, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Immune Health, Hunter Medical Research Institute and The University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, Australia
| | - Ian M. Adcock
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, London, United Kingdom
| | - Gaetano Caramori
- Respiratory Medicine Unit, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Dentistry and Morphological and Functional Imaging (BIOMORF), University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Cristiana Stellato
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry ‘Scuola Medica Salernitana’, University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy
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14
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Muñoz O, Lore M, Jagannathan S. The long and short of EJC-independent nonsense-mediated RNA decay. Biochem Soc Trans 2023; 51:1121-1129. [PMID: 37145092 DOI: 10.1042/bst20221131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Nonsense-mediated RNA decay (NMD) plays a dual role as an RNA surveillance mechanism against aberrant transcripts containing premature termination codons and as a gene regulatory mechanism for normal physiological transcripts. This dual function is possible because NMD recognizes its substrates based on the functional definition of a premature translation termination event. An efficient mode of NMD target recognition involves the presence of exon-junction complexes (EJCs) downstream of the terminating ribosome. A less efficient, but highly conserved, mode of NMD is triggered by long 3' untranslated regions (UTRs) that lack EJCs (termed EJC-independent NMD). While EJC-independent NMD plays an important regulatory role across organisms, our understanding of its mechanism, especially in mammalian cells, is incomplete. This review focuses on EJC-independent NMD and discusses the current state of knowledge and factors that contribute to the variability in the efficiency of this mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oscar Muñoz
- Molecular Biology Graduate Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, U.S.A
| | - Mlana Lore
- Molecular Biology Graduate Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, U.S.A
| | - Sujatha Jagannathan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, U.S.A
- RNA Bioscience Initiative, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, U.S.A
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15
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Lai X, Li R, Wang P, Li M, Xiao C, Cao Q, Li X, Zhao W. Cumulative effects of weakly repressive regulatory regions in the 3' UTR maintain PD-1 expression homeostasis in mammals. Commun Biol 2023; 6:537. [PMID: 37202440 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04922-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023] Open
Abstract
PD-1 has become a common target for cancer treatment. However, the molecular regulation of PD-1 expression homeostasis remains unclear. Here we report the PD-1 3' UTR can dramatically repress gene expression via promoting mRNA decay. Deletion of the PD-1 3' UTR inhibits T cell activity and promotes T-ALL cell proliferation. Interestingly, the robust repression is attributable to cumulative effects of many weak regulatory regions, which we show together are better able to maintain PD-1 expression homeostasis. We further identify several RNA binding proteins (RBPs) that modulate PD-1 expression via the 3' UTR, including IGF2BP2, RBM38, SRSF7, and SRSF4. Moreover, despite rapid evolution, PD-1 3' UTRs are functionally conserved and strongly repress gene expression through many common RBP binding sites. These findings reveal a previously unrecognized mechanism of maintaining PD-1 expression homeostasis and might represent a general model for how small regulatory effects play big roles in regulation of gene expression and biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoqian Lai
- Molecular Cancer Research Center, School of Medicine, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China
| | - Rong Li
- Molecular Cancer Research Center, School of Medicine, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China
| | - Panpan Wang
- Molecular Cancer Research Center, School of Medicine, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China
| | - Meng Li
- Molecular Cancer Research Center, School of Medicine, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China
| | - Chenxi Xiao
- Undergraduate Program in Medicine, School of Medicine, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China
| | - Qiang Cao
- Molecular Cancer Research Center, School of Medicine, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China
| | - Xin Li
- Molecular Cancer Research Center, School of Medicine, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China.
| | - Wenxue Zhao
- Molecular Cancer Research Center, School of Medicine, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China.
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16
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Matoulek D, Ježek B, Vohnoutová M, Symonová R. Advances in Vertebrate (Cyto)Genomics Shed New Light on Fish Compositional Genome Evolution. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:genes14020244. [PMID: 36833171 PMCID: PMC9956151 DOI: 10.3390/genes14020244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Cytogenetic and compositional studies considered fish genomes rather poor in guanine-cytosine content (GC%) because of a putative "sharp increase in genic GC% during the evolution of higher vertebrates". However, the available genomic data have not been exploited to confirm this viewpoint. In contrast, further misunderstandings in GC%, mostly of fish genomes, originated from a misapprehension of the current flood of data. Utilizing public databases, we calculated the GC% in animal genomes of three different, technically well-established fractions: DNA (entire genome), cDNA (complementary DNA), and cds (exons). Our results across chordates help set borders of GC% values that are still incorrect in literature and show: (i) fish in their immense diversity possess comparably GC-rich (or even GC-richer) genomes as higher vertebrates, and fish exons are GC-enriched among vertebrates; (ii) animal genomes generally show a GC-enrichment from the DNA, over cDNA, to the cds level (i.e., not only the higher vertebrates); (iii) fish and invertebrates show a broad(er) inter-quartile range in GC%, while avian and mammalian genomes are more constrained in their GC%. These results indicate no sharp increase in the GC% of genes during the transition to higher vertebrates, as stated and numerously repeated before. We present our results in 2D and 3D space to explore the compositional genome landscape and prepared an online platform to explore the AT/GC compositional genome evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominik Matoulek
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Hradec Králové, 500 03 Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
| | - Bruno Ježek
- Faculty of Informatics and Management, University of Hradec Králové, Rokitanského 62, 500 02 Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
| | - Marta Vohnoutová
- Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Radka Symonová
- Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Department of Bioinformatics, Wissenschaftszentrum Weihenstephan, Technische Universität München, 85354 Freising, Germany
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Correspondence:
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17
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3′UTR heterogeneity and cancer progression. Trends Cell Biol 2022:S0962-8924(22)00232-X. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tcb.2022.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
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18
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Harnessing introns to monitor gene expression. Nat Cell Biol 2022; 24:1571-1573. [PMID: 36344776 PMCID: PMC9873248 DOI: 10.1038/s41556-022-01003-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
A number of new technologies have utilized synthetic RNAs which leverage the cell’s RNA splicing machinery to drive expression of gene products. Now a new study reports a technique to dynamically and non-invasively monitor gene expression by embedding reporters within introns contained in the parent gene.
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19
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Cooper YA, Guo Q, Geschwind DH. Multiplexed functional genomic assays to decipher the noncoding genome. Hum Mol Genet 2022; 31:R84-R96. [PMID: 36057282 PMCID: PMC9585676 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddac194] [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: 07/02/2022] [Revised: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Linkage disequilibrium and the incomplete regulatory annotation of the noncoding genome complicates the identification of functional noncoding genetic variants and their causal association with disease. Current computational methods for variant prioritization have limited predictive value, necessitating the application of highly parallelized experimental assays to efficiently identify functional noncoding variation. Here, we summarize two distinct approaches, massively parallel reporter assays and CRISPR-based pooled screens and describe their flexible implementation to characterize human noncoding genetic variation at unprecedented scale. Each approach provides unique advantages and limitations, highlighting the importance of multimodal methodological integration. These multiplexed assays of variant effects are undoubtedly poised to play a key role in the experimental characterization of noncoding genetic risk, informing our understanding of the underlying mechanisms of disease-associated loci and the development of more robust predictive classification algorithms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yonatan A Cooper
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Center for Neurobehavioral Genetics, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Qiuyu Guo
- Center for Neurobehavioral Genetics, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Daniel H Geschwind
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Program in Neurogenetics, Department of Neurology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Center for Autism Research and Treatment, Semel Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Institute of Precision Health, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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20
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High-throughput techniques enable advances in the roles of DNA and RNA secondary structures in transcriptional and post-transcriptional gene regulation. Genome Biol 2022; 23:159. [PMID: 35851062 PMCID: PMC9290270 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-022-02727-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The most stable structure of DNA is the canonical right-handed double helix termed B DNA. However, certain environments and sequence motifs favor alternative conformations, termed non-canonical secondary structures. The roles of DNA and RNA secondary structures in transcriptional regulation remain incompletely understood. However, advances in high-throughput assays have enabled genome wide characterization of some secondary structures. Here, we describe their regulatory functions in promoters and 3’UTRs, providing insights into key mechanisms through which they regulate gene expression. We discuss their implication in human disease, and how advances in molecular technologies and emerging high-throughput experimental methods could provide additional insights.
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21
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Ron M, Ulitsky I. Context-specific effects of sequence elements on subcellular localization of linear and circular RNAs. Nat Commun 2022; 13:2481. [PMID: 35513423 PMCID: PMC9072321 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30183-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Long RNAs vary extensively in their post-transcriptional fates, and this variation is attributed in part to short sequence elements. We used massively parallel RNA assays to study how sequences derived from noncoding RNAs influence the subcellular localization and stability of circular and linear RNAs, including spliced and unspliced forms. We find that the effects of sequence elements strongly depend on the host RNA context, with limited overlap between sequences that drive nuclear enrichment of linear and circular RNAs. Binding of specific RNA binding proteins underpins some of these differences-SRSF1 binding leads to nuclear enrichment of circular RNAs; SAFB binding is associated with nuclear enrichment of predominantly unspliced linear RNAs; and IGF2BP1 promotes export of linear spliced RNA molecules. The post-transcriptional fate of long RNAs is thus dictated by combinatorial contributions of specific sequence elements, of splicing, and of the presence of the terminal features unique to linear RNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya Ron
- Departments of Biological Regulation and Molecular Neuroscience, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 76100, Israel
| | - Igor Ulitsky
- Departments of Biological Regulation and Molecular Neuroscience, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 76100, Israel.
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Siegel DA, Le Tonqueze O, Biton A, Zaitlen N, Erle DJ. Massively parallel analysis of human 3' UTRs reveals that AU-rich element length and registration predict mRNA destabilization. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2022; 12:6446033. [PMID: 34849835 PMCID: PMC8728028 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkab404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
AU-rich elements (AREs) are 3' UTR cis-regulatory elements that regulate the stability of mRNAs. Consensus ARE motifs have been determined, but little is known about how differences in 3' UTR sequences that conform to these motifs affect their function. Here, we use functional annotation of sequences from 3' UTRs (fast-UTR), a massively parallel reporter assay (MPRA), to investigate the effects of 41,288 3' UTR sequence fragments from 4653 transcripts on gene expression and mRNA stability in Jurkat and Beas2B cells. Our analyses demonstrate that the length of an ARE and its registration (the first and last nucleotides of the repeating ARE motif) have significant effects on gene expression and stability. Based on this finding, we propose improved ARE classification and concomitant methods to categorize and predict the effect of AREs on gene expression and stability. Finally, to investigate the advantages of our general experimental design we examine other motifs including constitutive decay elements (CDEs), where we show that the length of the CDE stem-loop has a significant impact on steady-state expression and mRNA stability. We conclude that fast-UTR, in conjunction with our analytical approach, can produce improved yet simple sequence-based rules for predicting the activity of human 3' UTRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Siegel
- Department of Medicine, Lung Biology Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Olivier Le Tonqueze
- Department of Medicine, Lung Biology Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Anne Biton
- Department of Medicine, Lung Biology Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.,Hub de Bioinformatique et Biostatistique-Département Biologie Computationnelle, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Hub, F-75015 Paris, France
| | - Noah Zaitlen
- Department of Medicine, Lung Biology Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - David J Erle
- Department of Medicine, Lung Biology Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
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23
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Nicolet BP, Zandhuis ND, Lattanzio VM, Wolkers MC. Sequence determinants as key regulators in gene expression of T cells. Immunol Rev 2021; 304:10-29. [PMID: 34486113 PMCID: PMC9292449 DOI: 10.1111/imr.13021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Revised: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
T cell homeostasis, T cell differentiation, and T cell effector function rely on the constant fine-tuning of gene expression. To alter the T cell state, substantial remodeling of the proteome is required. This remodeling depends on the intricate interplay of regulatory mechanisms, including post-transcriptional gene regulation. In this review, we discuss how the sequence of a transcript influences these post-transcriptional events. In particular, we review how sequence determinants such as sequence conservation, GC content, and chemical modifications define the levels of the mRNA and the protein in a T cell. We describe the effect of different forms of alternative splicing on mRNA expression and protein production, and their effect on subcellular localization. In addition, we discuss the role of sequences and structures as binding hubs for miRNAs and RNA-binding proteins in T cells. The review thus highlights how the intimate interplay of post-transcriptional mechanisms dictate cellular fate decisions in T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benoit P. Nicolet
- Department of HematopoiesisSanquin Research and Landsteiner LaboratoryAmsterdam UMCUniversity of AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- Oncode InstituteUtrechtThe Netherlands
| | - Nordin D. Zandhuis
- Department of HematopoiesisSanquin Research and Landsteiner LaboratoryAmsterdam UMCUniversity of AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- Oncode InstituteUtrechtThe Netherlands
| | - V. Maria Lattanzio
- Department of HematopoiesisSanquin Research and Landsteiner LaboratoryAmsterdam UMCUniversity of AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- Oncode InstituteUtrechtThe Netherlands
| | - Monika C. Wolkers
- Department of HematopoiesisSanquin Research and Landsteiner LaboratoryAmsterdam UMCUniversity of AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- Oncode InstituteUtrechtThe Netherlands
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24
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Savinov A, Brandsen BM, Angell BE, Cuperus JT, Fields S. Effects of sequence motifs in the yeast 3' untranslated region determined from massively parallel assays of random sequences. Genome Biol 2021; 22:293. [PMID: 34663436 PMCID: PMC8522215 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-021-02509-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The 3' untranslated region (UTR) plays critical roles in determining the level of gene expression through effects on activities such as mRNA stability and translation. Functional elements within this region have largely been identified through analyses of native genes, which contain multiple co-evolved sequence features. RESULTS To explore the effects of 3' UTR sequence elements outside of native sequence contexts, we analyze hundreds of thousands of random 50-mers inserted into the 3' UTR of a reporter gene in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We determine relative protein expression levels from the fitness of transformants in a growth selection. We find that the consensus 3' UTR efficiency element significantly boosts expression, independent of sequence context; on the other hand, the consensus positioning element has only a small effect on expression. Some sequence motifs that are binding sites for Puf proteins substantially increase expression in the library, despite these proteins generally being associated with post-transcriptional downregulation of native mRNAs. Our measurements also allow a systematic examination of the effects of point mutations within efficiency element motifs across diverse sequence backgrounds. These mutational scans reveal the relative in vivo importance of individual bases in the efficiency element, which likely reflects their roles in binding the Hrp1 protein involved in cleavage and polyadenylation. CONCLUSIONS The regulatory effects of some 3' UTR sequence features, like the efficiency element, are consistent regardless of sequence context. In contrast, the consequences of other 3' UTR features appear to be strongly dependent on their evolved context within native genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Savinov
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Box 355065, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Present address: Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Benjamin M Brandsen
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Box 355065, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Creighton University, Omaha, NE, 68178, USA
| | - Brooke E Angell
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Box 355065, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Present address: Interdisciplinary Biological Sciences Graduate Program, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Josh T Cuperus
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Box 355065, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA.
| | - Stanley Fields
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Box 355065, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA.
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Box 357720, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA.
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25
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Griesemer D, Xue JR, Reilly SK, Ulirsch JC, Kukreja K, Davis JR, Kanai M, Yang DK, Butts JC, Guney MH, Luban J, Montgomery SB, Finucane HK, Novina CD, Tewhey R, Sabeti PC. Genome-wide functional screen of 3'UTR variants uncovers causal variants for human disease and evolution. Cell 2021; 184:5247-5260.e19. [PMID: 34534445 PMCID: PMC8487971 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2021.08.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2020] [Revised: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
3' untranslated region (3'UTR) variants are strongly associated with human traits and diseases, yet few have been causally identified. We developed the massively parallel reporter assay for 3'UTRs (MPRAu) to sensitively assay 12,173 3'UTR variants. We applied MPRAu to six human cell lines, focusing on genetic variants associated with genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and human evolutionary adaptation. MPRAu expands our understanding of 3'UTR function, suggesting that simple sequences predominately explain 3'UTR regulatory activity. We adapt MPRAu to uncover diverse molecular mechanisms at base pair resolution, including an adenylate-uridylate (AU)-rich element of LEPR linked to potential metabolic evolutionary adaptations in East Asians. We nominate hundreds of 3'UTR causal variants with genetically fine-mapped phenotype associations. Using endogenous allelic replacements, we characterize one variant that disrupts a miRNA site regulating the viral defense gene TRIM14 and one that alters PILRB abundance, nominating a causal variant underlying transcriptional changes in age-related macular degeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dustin Griesemer
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02143, USA; Program in Bioinformatics and Integrative Genomics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative, and Pain Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - James R Xue
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02143, USA; Department Of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02143, USA.
| | - Steven K Reilly
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02143, USA; Department Of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02143, USA
| | - Jacob C Ulirsch
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02143, USA; Program in Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Analytic and Translational Genetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Kalki Kukreja
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Joe R Davis
- BigHat Biosciences, San Carlos, CA 94070, USA
| | - Masahiro Kanai
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02143, USA; Program in Bioinformatics and Integrative Genomics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Analytic and Translational Genetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - David K Yang
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02143, USA
| | - John C Butts
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, USA; Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Engineering, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA
| | - Mehmet H Guney
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01655, USA
| | - Jeremy Luban
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02143, USA; Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01655, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01655, USA
| | - Stephen B Montgomery
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Hilary K Finucane
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02143, USA; Analytic and Translational Genetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Carl D Novina
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02143, USA; Department of Cancer Immunology and Virology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Ryan Tewhey
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, USA; Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Engineering, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA; Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02111, USA
| | - Pardis C Sabeti
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02143, USA; Department Of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02143, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA
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26
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Blake D, Lynch KW. The three as: Alternative splicing, alternative polyadenylation and their impact on apoptosis in immune function. Immunol Rev 2021; 304:30-50. [PMID: 34368964 DOI: 10.1111/imr.13018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Revised: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The latest advances in next-generation sequencing studies and transcriptomic profiling over the past decade have highlighted a surprising frequency of genes regulated by RNA processing mechanisms in the immune system. In particular, two control steps in mRNA maturation, namely alternative splicing and alternative polyadenylation, are now recognized to occur in the vast majority of human genes. Both have the potential to alter the identity of the encoded protein, as well as control protein abundance or even protein localization or association with other factors. In this review, we will provide a summary of the general mechanisms by which alternative splicing (AS) and alternative polyadenylation (APA) occur, their regulation within cells of the immune system, and their impact on immunobiology. In particular, we will focus on how control of apoptosis by AS and APA is used to tune cell fate during an immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davia Blake
- Immunology Graduate Group and the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Kristen W Lynch
- Immunology Graduate Group and the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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27
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Rare and common variant discovery by whole-genome sequencing of 101 Thoroughbred racehorses. Sci Rep 2021; 11:16057. [PMID: 34362995 PMCID: PMC8346562 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-95669-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
The Thoroughbred breed was formed by crossing Oriental horse breeds and British native horses and is currently used in horseracing worldwide. In this study, we constructed a single-nucleotide variant (SNV) database using data from 101 Thoroughbred racehorses. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) revealed 11,570,312 and 602,756 SNVs in autosomal (1–31) and X chromosomes, respectively, yielding a total of 12,173,068 SNVs. About 6.9% of identified SNVs were rare variants observed only in one allele in 101 horses. The number of SNVs detected in individual horses ranged from 4.8 to 5.3 million. Individual horses had a maximum of 25,554 rare variants; several of these were functional variants, such as non-synonymous substitutions, start-gained, start-lost, stop-gained, and stop-lost variants. Therefore, these rare variants may affect differences in traits and phenotypes among individuals. When observing the distribution of rare variants among horses, one breeding stallion had a smaller number of rare variants compared to other horses, suggesting that the frequency of rare variants in the Japanese Thoroughbred population increases through breeding. In addition, our variant database may provide useful basic information for industrial applications, such as the detection of genetically modified racehorses in gene-doping control and pedigree-registration of racehorses using SNVs as markers.
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28
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Fish L, Khoroshkin M, Navickas A, Garcia K, Culbertson B, Hänisch B, Zhang S, Nguyen HCB, Soto LM, Dermit M, Mardakheh FK, Molina H, Alarcón C, Najafabadi HS, Goodarzi H. A prometastatic splicing program regulated by SNRPA1 interactions with structured RNA elements. Science 2021; 372:eabc7531. [PMID: 33986153 PMCID: PMC8238114 DOI: 10.1126/science.abc7531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2020] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Aberrant alternative splicing is a hallmark of cancer, yet the underlying regulatory programs that control this process remain largely unknown. Here, we report a systematic effort to decipher the RNA structural code that shapes pathological splicing during breast cancer metastasis. We discovered a previously unknown structural splicing enhancer that is enriched near cassette exons with increased inclusion in highly metastatic cells. We show that the spliceosomal protein small nuclear ribonucleoprotein polypeptide A' (SNRPA1) interacts with these enhancers to promote cassette exon inclusion. This interaction enhances metastatic lung colonization and cancer cell invasion, in part through SNRPA1-mediated regulation of PLEC alternative splicing, which can be counteracted by splicing modulating morpholinos. Our findings establish a noncanonical regulatory role for SNRPA1 as a prometastatic splicing enhancer in breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Fish
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Department of Urology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Matvei Khoroshkin
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Department of Urology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Albertas Navickas
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Department of Urology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Kristle Garcia
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Department of Urology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Bruce Culbertson
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Department of Urology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Benjamin Hänisch
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Department of Urology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Steven Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Department of Urology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Hoang C B Nguyen
- Institute for Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Larisa M Soto
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0C7, Canada
- McGill Genome Centre, Montreal, QC H3A 0G1, Canada
| | - Maria Dermit
- Centre for Cancer Cell and Molecular Biology, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, UK
| | - Faraz K Mardakheh
- Centre for Cancer Cell and Molecular Biology, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, UK
| | - Henrik Molina
- Proteome Resource Center, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Claudio Alarcón
- Department of Pharmacology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Yale Cancer Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT 06516, USA
| | - Hamed S Najafabadi
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0C7, Canada
- McGill Genome Centre, Montreal, QC H3A 0G1, Canada
| | - Hani Goodarzi
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.
- Department of Urology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
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29
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Wu B, Qiao J, Wang X, Liu M, Xu S, Sun D. Factors affecting the rapid changes of protein under short-term heat stress. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:263. [PMID: 33849452 PMCID: PMC8042900 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-07560-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Protein content determines the state of cells. The variation in protein abundance is crucial when organisms are in the early stages of heat stress, but the reasons affecting their changes are largely unknown. RESULTS We quantified 47,535 mRNAs and 3742 proteins in the filling grains of wheat in two different thermal environments. The impact of mRNA abundance and sequence features involved in protein translation and degradation on protein expression was evaluated by regression analysis. Transcription, codon usage and amino acid frequency were the main drivers of changes in protein expression under heat stress, and their combined contribution explains 58.2 and 66.4% of the protein variation at 30 and 40 °C (20 °C as control), respectively. Transcription contributes more to alterations in protein content at 40 °C (31%) than at 30 °C (6%). Furthermore, the usage of codon AAG may be closely related to the rapid alteration of proteins under heat stress. The contributions of AAG were 24 and 13% at 30 and 40 °C, respectively. CONCLUSION In this study, we analyzed the factors affecting the changes in protein expression in the early stage of heat stress and evaluated their influence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingjin Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100 Shaanxi China
| | - Jianwen Qiao
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100 Shaanxi China
| | - Xiaoming Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100 Shaanxi China
| | - Manshuang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100 Shaanxi China
| | - Shengbao Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100 Shaanxi China
| | - Daojie Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100 Shaanxi China
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30
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Mulvey B, Lagunas T, Dougherty JD. Massively Parallel Reporter Assays: Defining Functional Psychiatric Genetic Variants Across Biological Contexts. Biol Psychiatry 2021; 89:76-89. [PMID: 32843144 PMCID: PMC7938388 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2020.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2020] [Revised: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 06/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Neuropsychiatric phenotypes have long been known to be influenced by heritable risk factors, directly confirmed by the past decade of genetic studies that have revealed specific genetic variants enriched in disease cohorts. However, the initial hope that a small set of genes would be responsible for a given disorder proved false. The more complex reality is that a given disorder may be influenced by myriad small-effect noncoding variants and/or by rare but severe coding variants, many de novo. Noncoding genomic sequences-for which molecular functions cannot usually be inferred-harbor a large portion of these variants, creating a substantial barrier to understanding higher-order molecular and biological systems of disease. Fortunately, novel genetic technologies-scalable oligonucleotide synthesis, RNA sequencing, and CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats)-have opened novel avenues to experimentally identify biologically significant variants en masse. Massively parallel reporter assays (MPRAs) are an especially versatile technique resulting from such innovations. MPRAs are powerful molecular genetics tools that can be used to screen thousands of untranscribed or untranslated sequences and their variants for functional effects in a single experiment. This approach, though underutilized in psychiatric genetics, has several useful features for the field. We review methods for assaying putatively functional genetic variants and regions, emphasizing MPRAs and the opportunities they hold for dissection of psychiatric polygenicity. We discuss literature applying functional assays in neurogenetics, highlighting strengths, caveats, and design considerations-especially regarding disease-relevant variables (cell type, neurodevelopment, and sex), and we ultimately propose applications of MPRA to both computational and experimental neurogenetics of polygenic disease risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernard Mulvey
- Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri; Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri; Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Tomás Lagunas
- Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri; Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri; Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Joseph D Dougherty
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri; Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri.
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