1
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Bak M, van Nimwegen E, Kouzel IU, Gur T, Schmidt R, Zavolan M, Gruber AJ. MAPP unravels frequent co-regulation of splicing and polyadenylation by RNA-binding proteins and their dysregulation in cancer. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4110. [PMID: 38750024 PMCID: PMC11096328 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48046-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Maturation of eukaryotic pre-mRNAs via splicing and polyadenylation is modulated across cell types and conditions by a variety of RNA-binding proteins (RBPs). Although there exist over 1,500 RBPs in human cells, their binding motifs and functions still remain to be elucidated, especially in the complex environment of tissues and in the context of diseases. To overcome the lack of methods for the systematic and automated detection of sequence motif-guided pre-mRNA processing regulation from RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) data we have developed MAPP (Motif Activity on Pre-mRNA Processing). Applying MAPP to RBP knock-down experiments reveals that many RBPs regulate both splicing and polyadenylation of nascent transcripts by acting on similar sequence motifs. MAPP not only infers these sequence motifs, but also unravels the position-dependent impact of the RBPs on pre-mRNA processing. Interestingly, all investigated RBPs that act on both splicing and 3' end processing exhibit a consistently repressive or activating effect on both processes, providing a first glimpse on the underlying mechanism. Applying MAPP to normal and malignant brain tissue samples unveils that the motifs bound by the PTBP1 and RBFOX RBPs coordinately drive the oncogenic splicing program active in glioblastomas demonstrating that MAPP paves the way for characterizing pre-mRNA processing regulators under physiological and pathological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maciej Bak
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, 4056, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Erik van Nimwegen
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, 4056, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Ian U Kouzel
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, D-78464, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Tamer Gur
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, D-78464, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Ralf Schmidt
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, 4056, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Mihaela Zavolan
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, 4056, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Andreas J Gruber
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, D-78464, Konstanz, Germany.
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2
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Akiyama T, Raftery LA, Wharton KA. Bone morphogenetic protein signaling: the pathway and its regulation. Genetics 2024; 226:iyad200. [PMID: 38124338 PMCID: PMC10847725 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyad200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
In the mid-1960s, bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) were first identified in the extracts of bone to have the remarkable ability to induce heterotopic bone. When the Drosophila gene decapentaplegic (dpp) was first identified to share sequence similarity with mammalian BMP2/BMP4 in the late-1980s, it became clear that secreted BMP ligands can mediate processes other than bone formation. Following this discovery, collaborative efforts between Drosophila geneticists and mammalian biochemists made use of the strengths of their respective model systems to identify BMP signaling components and delineate the pathway. The ability to conduct genetic modifier screens in Drosophila with relative ease was critical in identifying the intracellular signal transducers for BMP signaling and the related transforming growth factor-beta/activin signaling pathway. Such screens also revealed a host of genes that encode other core signaling components and regulators of the pathway. In this review, we provide a historical account of this exciting time of gene discovery and discuss how the field has advanced over the past 30 years. We have learned that while the core BMP pathway is quite simple, composed of 3 components (ligand, receptor, and signal transducer), behind the versatility of this pathway lies multiple layers of regulation that ensures precise tissue-specific signaling output. We provide a sampling of these discoveries and highlight many questions that remain to be answered to fully understand the complexity of BMP signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takuya Akiyama
- Department of Biology, Rich and Robin Porter Cancer Research Center, The Center for Genomic Advocacy, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, IN 47809, USA
| | - Laurel A Raftery
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas, NV 89154, USA
| | - Kristi A Wharton
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry, Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
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3
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Zhang B, Duan H, Kavaler J, Wei L, Eberl DF, Lai EC. A nonneural miRNA cluster mediates hearing via repression of two neural targets. Genes Dev 2023; 37:1041-1051. [PMID: 38110249 PMCID: PMC10760640 DOI: 10.1101/gad.351052.123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023]
Abstract
We show here that mir-279/996 are absolutely essential for development and function of Johnston's organ (JO), the primary proprioceptive and auditory organ in Drosophila Their deletion results in highly aberrant cell fate determination, including loss of scolopale cells and ectopic neurons, and mutants are electrophysiologically deaf. In vivo activity sensors and mosaic analyses indicate that these seed-related miRNAs function autonomously to suppress neural fate in nonneuronal cells. Finally, genetic interactions pinpoint two neural targets (elav and insensible) that underlie miRNA mutant JO phenotypes. This work uncovers how critical post-transcriptional regulation of specific miRNA targets governs cell specification and function of the auditory system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binglong Zhang
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, New York, New York 10065, USA
| | - Hong Duan
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, New York, New York 10065, USA
| | - Joshua Kavaler
- Department of Biology, Colby College, Waterville, Maine 04901, USA
| | - Lu Wei
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, New York, New York 10065, USA
| | - Daniel F Eberl
- Department of Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, USA
| | - Eric C Lai
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, New York, New York 10065, USA;
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4
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Lee S, Aubee JI, Lai EC. Regulation of alternative splicing and polyadenylation in neurons. Life Sci Alliance 2023; 6:e202302000. [PMID: 37793776 PMCID: PMC10551640 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202302000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cell-type-specific gene expression is a fundamental feature of multicellular organisms and is achieved by combinations of regulatory strategies. Although cell-restricted transcription is perhaps the most widely studied mechanism, co-transcriptional and post-transcriptional processes are also central to the spatiotemporal control of gene functions. One general category of expression control involves the generation of multiple transcript isoforms from an individual gene, whose balance and cell specificity are frequently tightly regulated via diverse strategies. The nervous system makes particularly extensive use of cell-specific isoforms, specializing the neural function of genes that are expressed more broadly. Here, we review regulatory strategies and RNA-binding proteins that direct neural-specific isoform processing. These include various classes of alternative splicing and alternative polyadenylation events, both of which broadly diversify the neural transcriptome. Importantly, global alterations of splicing and alternative polyadenylation are characteristic of many neural pathologies, and recent genetic studies demonstrate how misregulation of individual neural isoforms can directly cause mutant phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seungjae Lee
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Joseph I Aubee
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Eric C Lai
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, New York, NY, USA
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5
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Weber AI, Parthasarathy S, Borisova E, Epifanova E, Preußner M, Rusanova A, Ambrozkiewicz MC, Bessa P, Newman A, Müller L, Schaal H, Heyd F, Tarabykin V. Srsf1 and Elavl1 act antagonistically on neuronal fate choice in the developing neocortex by controlling TrkC receptor isoform expression. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:10218-10237. [PMID: 37697438 PMCID: PMC10602877 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The seat of higher-order cognitive abilities in mammals, the neocortex, is a complex structure, organized in several layers. The different subtypes of principal neurons are distributed in precise ratios and at specific positions in these layers and are generated by the same neural progenitor cells (NPCs), steered by a spatially and temporally specified combination of molecular cues that are incompletely understood. Recently, we discovered that an alternatively spliced isoform of the TrkC receptor lacking the kinase domain, TrkC-T1, is a determinant of the corticofugal projection neuron (CFuPN) fate. Here, we show that the finely tuned balance between TrkC-T1 and the better known, kinase domain-containing isoform, TrkC-TK+, is cell type-specific in the developing cortex and established through the antagonistic actions of two RNA-binding proteins, Srsf1 and Elavl1. Moreover, our data show that Srsf1 promotes the CFuPN fate and Elavl1 promotes the callosal projection neuron (CPN) fate in vivo via regulating the distinct ratios of TrkC-T1 to TrkC-TK+. Taken together, we connect spatio-temporal expression of Srsf1 and Elavl1 in the developing neocortex with the regulation of TrkC alternative splicing and transcript stability and neuronal fate choice, thus adding to the mechanistic and functional understanding of alternative splicing in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Ioana Weber
- Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Takustr. 6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Srinivas Parthasarathy
- Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Ekaterina Borisova
- Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
- Research Institute of Medical Genetics, Tomsk National Research Medical Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 634009, Tomsk, Russia
| | - Ekaterina Epifanova
- Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Marco Preußner
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Takustr. 6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Alexandra Rusanova
- Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
- Research Institute of Medical Genetics, Tomsk National Research Medical Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 634009, Tomsk, Russia
| | - Mateusz C Ambrozkiewicz
- Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Paraskevi Bessa
- Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Andrew G Newman
- Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Lisa Müller
- Heinrich Heine Universität Düsseldorf, Institute of Virology, Medical Faculty, Universitätsstr. 1, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Heiner Schaal
- Heinrich Heine Universität Düsseldorf, Institute of Virology, Medical Faculty, Universitätsstr. 1, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Florian Heyd
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Takustr. 6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Victor Tarabykin
- Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
- Institute of Neuroscience, Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod, 603950, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, Russia
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6
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Zhang Z, Bae B, Cuddleston WH, Miura P. Coordination of alternative splicing and alternative polyadenylation revealed by targeted long read sequencing. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5506. [PMID: 37679364 PMCID: PMC10484994 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41207-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Nervous system development is associated with extensive regulation of alternative splicing (AS) and alternative polyadenylation (APA). AS and APA have been extensively studied in isolation, but little is known about how these processes are coordinated. Here, the coordination of cassette exon (CE) splicing and APA in Drosophila was investigated using a targeted long-read sequencing approach we call Pull-a-Long-Seq (PL-Seq). This cost-effective method uses cDNA pulldown and Nanopore sequencing combined with an analysis pipeline to quantify inclusion of alternative exons in connection with alternative 3' ends. Using PL-Seq, we identified genes that exhibit significant differences in CE splicing depending on connectivity to short versus long 3'UTRs. Genomic long 3'UTR deletion was found to alter upstream CE splicing in short 3'UTR isoforms and ELAV loss differentially affected CE splicing depending on connectivity to alternative 3'UTRs. This work highlights the importance of considering connectivity to alternative 3'UTRs when monitoring AS events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiping Zhang
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV, USA
| | - Bongmin Bae
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV, USA
| | | | - Pedro Miura
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA.
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV, USA.
- Institute for System Genomics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA.
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7
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Dąbrowska J, Sroka J, Cencek T. Investigating Cryptosporidium spp. Using Genomic, Proteomic and Transcriptomic Techniques: Current Progress and Future Directions. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:12867. [PMID: 37629046 PMCID: PMC10454211 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241612867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Cryptosporidiosis is a widespread disease caused by the parasitic protozoan Cryptosporidium spp., which infects various vertebrate species, including humans. Once unknown as a gastroenteritis-causing agent, Cryptosporidium spp. is now recognized as a pathogen causing life-threatening disease, especially in immunocompromised individuals such as AIDS patients. Advances in diagnostic methods and increased awareness have led to a significant shift in the perception of Cryptosporidium spp. as a pathogen. Currently, genomic and proteomic studies play a main role in understanding the molecular biology of this complex-life-cycle parasite. Genomics has enabled the identification of numerous genes involved in the parasite's development and interaction with hosts. Proteomics has allowed for the identification of protein interactions, their function, structure, and cellular activity. The combination of these two approaches has significantly contributed to the development of new diagnostic tools, vaccines, and drugs for cryptosporidiosis. This review presents an overview of the significant achievements in Cryptosporidium research by utilizing genomics, proteomics, and transcriptomics approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Dąbrowska
- Department of Parasitology and Invasive Disease, National Veterinary Research Institute, Partyzantów 57 Avenue, 24-100 Puławy, Poland (T.C.)
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Castellá M, Blasco-Roset A, Peyrou M, Gavaldà-Navarro A, Villarroya J, Quesada-López T, Lorente-Poch L, Sancho J, Szymczak F, Piron A, Rodríguez-Fernández S, Carobbio S, Goday A, Domingo P, Vidal-Puig A, Giralt M, Eizirik DL, Villarroya F, Cereijo R. Adipose tissue plasticity in pheochromocytoma patients suggests a role of the splicing machinery in human adipose browning. iScience 2023; 26:106847. [PMID: 37250773 PMCID: PMC10209542 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Revised: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Adipose tissue from pheochromocytoma patients acquires brown fat features, making it a valuable model for studying the mechanisms that control thermogenic adipose plasticity in humans. Transcriptomic analyses revealed a massive downregulation of splicing machinery components and splicing regulatory factors in browned adipose tissue from patients, with upregulation of a few genes encoding RNA-binding proteins potentially involved in splicing regulation. These changes were also observed in cell culture models of human brown adipocyte differentiation, confirming a potential involvement of splicing in the cell-autonomous control of adipose browning. The coordinated changes in splicing are associated with a profound modification in the expression levels of splicing-driven transcript isoforms for genes involved in the specialized metabolism of brown adipocytes and those encoding master transcriptional regulators of adipose browning. Splicing control appears to be a relevant component of the coordinated gene expression changes that allow human adipose tissue to acquire a brown phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moisés Castellá
- Departament de Bioquímica i Biomedicina Molecular, Universitat de Barcelona; Institut de Biomedicina de la Universitat de Barcelona (IBUB); and Institut de Recerca de Sant Joan de Déu, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Albert Blasco-Roset
- Departament de Bioquímica i Biomedicina Molecular, Universitat de Barcelona; Institut de Biomedicina de la Universitat de Barcelona (IBUB); and Institut de Recerca de Sant Joan de Déu, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Marion Peyrou
- Departament de Bioquímica i Biomedicina Molecular, Universitat de Barcelona; Institut de Biomedicina de la Universitat de Barcelona (IBUB); and Institut de Recerca de Sant Joan de Déu, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Aleix Gavaldà-Navarro
- Departament de Bioquímica i Biomedicina Molecular, Universitat de Barcelona; Institut de Biomedicina de la Universitat de Barcelona (IBUB); and Institut de Recerca de Sant Joan de Déu, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Joan Villarroya
- Departament de Bioquímica i Biomedicina Molecular, Universitat de Barcelona; Institut de Biomedicina de la Universitat de Barcelona (IBUB); and Institut de Recerca de Sant Joan de Déu, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Tania Quesada-López
- Departament de Bioquímica i Biomedicina Molecular, Universitat de Barcelona; Institut de Biomedicina de la Universitat de Barcelona (IBUB); and Institut de Recerca de Sant Joan de Déu, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Institut d’Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB SANT PAU), Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, and Department of Infectious Diseases, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, 08041 Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Juan Sancho
- Endocrine Surgery Unit, Hospital del Mar, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Florian Szymczak
- ULB Center for Diabetes Research, Medical Faculty, Université Libre De Bruxelles (ULB), 1070 Brussels, Belgium
- Interuniversity Institute of Bioinformatics in Brussels, Université Libre de Bruxelles-Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Anthony Piron
- ULB Center for Diabetes Research, Medical Faculty, Université Libre De Bruxelles (ULB), 1070 Brussels, Belgium
- Interuniversity Institute of Bioinformatics in Brussels, Université Libre de Bruxelles-Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Sonia Rodríguez-Fernández
- University of Cambridge Metabolic Research Laboratories, Wellcome-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge 289, UK
| | - Stefania Carobbio
- Bases Moleculares de Patologías Humanas, Centro de Investigación Príncipe Felipe, 46012 Valencia, Spain
| | - Albert Goday
- CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Endocrinology Service, Hospital del Mar, IMIM, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Pere Domingo
- Institut d’Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB SANT PAU), Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, and Department of Infectious Diseases, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, 08041 Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Antonio Vidal-Puig
- University of Cambridge Metabolic Research Laboratories, Wellcome-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge 289, UK
| | - Marta Giralt
- Departament de Bioquímica i Biomedicina Molecular, Universitat de Barcelona; Institut de Biomedicina de la Universitat de Barcelona (IBUB); and Institut de Recerca de Sant Joan de Déu, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Décio L. Eizirik
- ULB Center for Diabetes Research, Medical Faculty, Université Libre De Bruxelles (ULB), 1070 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Francesc Villarroya
- Departament de Bioquímica i Biomedicina Molecular, Universitat de Barcelona; Institut de Biomedicina de la Universitat de Barcelona (IBUB); and Institut de Recerca de Sant Joan de Déu, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Rubén Cereijo
- Departament de Bioquímica i Biomedicina Molecular, Universitat de Barcelona; Institut de Biomedicina de la Universitat de Barcelona (IBUB); and Institut de Recerca de Sant Joan de Déu, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Institut d’Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB SANT PAU), Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, and Department of Infectious Diseases, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, 08041 Barcelona, Spain
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9
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LaForce GR, Philippidou P, Schaffer AE. mRNA isoform balance in neuronal development and disease. Wiley Interdiscip Rev RNA 2023; 14:e1762. [PMID: 36123820 PMCID: PMC10024649 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Balanced mRNA isoform diversity and abundance are spatially and temporally regulated throughout cellular differentiation. The proportion of expressed isoforms contributes to cell type specification and determines key properties of the differentiated cells. Neurons are unique cell types with intricate developmental programs, characteristic cellular morphologies, and electrophysiological potential. Neuron-specific gene expression programs establish these distinctive cellular characteristics and drive diversity among neuronal subtypes. Genes with neuron-specific alternative processing are enriched in key neuronal functions, including synaptic proteins, adhesion molecules, and scaffold proteins. Despite the similarity of neuronal gene expression programs, each neuronal subclass can be distinguished by unique alternative mRNA processing events. Alternative processing of developmentally important transcripts alters coding and regulatory information, including interaction domains, transcript stability, subcellular localization, and targeting by RNA binding proteins. Fine-tuning of mRNA processing is essential for neuronal activity and maintenance. Thus, the focus of neuronal RNA biology research is to dissect the transcriptomic mechanisms that underlie neuronal homeostasis, and consequently, predispose neuronal subtypes to disease. This article is categorized under: RNA in Disease and Development > RNA in Disease RNA in Disease and Development > RNA in Development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geneva R LaForce
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Polyxeni Philippidou
- Department of Neurosciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Ashleigh E Schaffer
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
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Zhang Z, Bae B, Cuddleston WH, Miura P. Coordination of Alternative Splicing and Alternative Polyadenylation revealed by Targeted Long-Read Sequencing. bioRxiv 2023:2023.03.23.533999. [PMID: 36993601 PMCID: PMC10055423 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.23.533999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Nervous system development is associated with extensive regulation of alternative splicing (AS) and alternative polyadenylation (APA). AS and APA have been extensively studied in isolation, but little is known about how these processes are coordinated. Here, the coordination of cassette exon (CE) splicing and APA in Drosophila was investigated using a targeted long-read sequencing approach we call Pull-a-Long-Seq (PL-Seq). This cost-effective method uses cDNA pulldown and Nanopore sequencing combined with an analysis pipeline to resolve the connectivity of alternative exons to alternative 3' ends. Using PL-Seq, we identified genes that exhibit significant differences in CE splicing depending on connectivity to short versus long 3'UTRs. Genomic long 3'UTR deletion was found to alter upstream CE splicing in short 3'UTR isoforms and ELAV loss differentially affected CE splicing depending on connectivity to alternative 3'UTRs. This work highlights the importance of considering connectivity to alternative 3'UTRs when monitoring AS events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiping Zhang
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV, USA
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Bongmin Bae
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV, USA
| | | | - Pedro Miura
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV, USA
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, USA
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11
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Sheta M, Yoshida K, Kanemoto H, Calderwood SK, Eguchi T. Stress-Inducible SCAND Factors Suppress the Stress Response and Are Biomarkers for Enhanced Prognosis in Cancers. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24065168. [PMID: 36982267 PMCID: PMC10049278 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The cell stress response is an essential system present in every cell for responding and adapting to environmental stimulations. A major program for stress response is the heat shock factor (HSF)–heat shock protein (HSP) system that maintains proteostasis in cells and promotes cancer progression. However, less is known about how the cell stress response is regulated by alternative transcription factors. Here, we show that the SCAN domain (SCAND)-containing transcription factors (SCAN-TFs) are involved in repressing the stress response in cancer. SCAND1 and SCAND2 are SCAND-only proteins that can hetero-oligomerize with SCAN-zinc finger transcription factors, such as MZF1(ZSCAN6), for accessing DNA and transcriptionally co-repressing target genes. We found that heat stress induced the expression of SCAND1, SCAND2, and MZF1 bound to HSP90 gene promoter regions in prostate cancer cells. Moreover, heat stress switched the transcript variants’ expression from long noncoding RNA (lncRNA-SCAND2P) to protein-coding mRNA of SCAND2, potentially by regulating alternative splicing. High expression of HSP90AA1 correlated with poorer prognoses in several cancer types, although SCAND1 and MZF1 blocked the heat shock responsiveness of HSP90AA1 in prostate cancer cells. Consistent with this, gene expression of SCAND2, SCAND1, and MZF1 was negatively correlated with HSP90 gene expression in prostate adenocarcinoma. By searching databases of patient-derived tumor samples, we found that MZF1 and SCAND2 RNA were more highly expressed in normal tissues than in tumor tissues in several cancer types. Of note, high RNA expression of SCAND2, SCAND1, and MZF1 correlated with enhanced prognoses of pancreatic cancer and head and neck cancers. Additionally, high expression of SCAND2 RNA was correlated with better prognoses of lung adenocarcinoma and sarcoma. These data suggest that the stress-inducible SCAN-TFs can function as a feedback system, suppressing excessive stress response and inhibiting cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mona Sheta
- Department of Dental Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, Okayama 700-8525, Japan
- Department of Cancer Biology, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Cairo 11796, Egypt
| | - Kunihiro Yoshida
- Department of Dental Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, Okayama 700-8525, Japan
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, Okayama 700-8525, Japan
| | - Hideka Kanemoto
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, Okayama 700-8525, Japan
| | - Stuart K. Calderwood
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Takanori Eguchi
- Department of Dental Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, Okayama 700-8525, Japan
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +81-86-235-6661
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12
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Hilgers V. Regulation of neuronal RNA signatures by ELAV/Hu proteins. Wiley Interdiscip Rev RNA 2023; 14:e1733. [PMID: 35429136 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The RNA-binding proteins encoded by the highly conserved elav/Hu gene family, found in all metazoans, regulate the expression of a wide range of genes, at both the co-transcriptional and posttranscriptional level. Nervous-system-specific ELAV/Hu proteins are prominent for their essential role in neuron differentiation, and mutations have been associated with human neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases. Drosophila ELAV, the founding member of the protein family, mediates the synthesis of neuronal RNA signatures by promoting alternative splicing and alternative polyadenylation of hundreds of genes. The recent identification of ELAV's direct RNA targets revealed the protein's central role in shaping the neuronal transcriptome, and highlighted the importance of neuronal transcript signatures for neuron maintenance and organism survival. Animals have evolved multiple cellular mechanisms to ensure robustness of ELAV/Hu function. In Drosophila, elav autoregulates in a 3'UTR-dependent manner to maintain optimal protein levels. A complete absence of ELAV causes the activation and nuclear localization of the normally cytoplasmic paralogue FNE, in a process termed EXon-Activated functional Rescue (EXAR). Other species, including mammals, seem to utilize different strategies, such as protein redundancy, to maintain ELAV protein function and effectively safeguard the identity of the neuronal transcriptome. This article is categorized under: RNA Processing > 3' End Processing RNA in Disease and Development > RNA in Development RNA Interactions with Proteins and Other Molecules > Protein-RNA Interactions: Functional Implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valérie Hilgers
- Max-Planck-Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics, Freiburg, Germany
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13
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Fisher E, Feng J. RNA splicing regulators play critical roles in neurogenesis. Wiley Interdiscip Rev RNA 2022; 13:e1728. [PMID: 35388651 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Alternative RNA splicing increases transcript diversity in different cell types and under varying conditions. It is executed with the help of RNA splicing regulators (RSRs), which are operationally defined as RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) that regulate alternative splicing, but not directly catalyzing the chemical reactions of splicing. By systematically searching for RBPs and manually identifying those that regulate splicing, we curated 305 RSRs in the human genome. Surprisingly, most of the RSRs are involved in neurogenesis. Among these RSRs, we focus on nine families (PTBP, NOVA, RBFOX, ELAVL, CELF, DBHS, MSI, PCBP, and MBNL) that play essential roles in the neurogenic pathway. A better understanding of their functions will provide novel insights into the role of splicing in brain development, health, and disease. This comprehensive review serves as a stepping-stone to explore the diverse and complex set of RSRs as fundamental regulators of neural development. This article is categorized under: RNA-Based Catalysis > RNA Catalysis in Splicing and Translation RNA Interactions with Proteins and Other Molecules > Protein-RNA Interactions: Functional Implications RNA Processing > Splicing Regulation/Alternative Splicing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Fisher
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
- Veterans Affairs Western New York Healthcare System, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Jian Feng
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
- Veterans Affairs Western New York Healthcare System, Buffalo, New York, USA
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14
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Carrasco J, Mateos F, Hilgers V. A critical developmental window for ELAV/Hu-dependent mRNA signatures at the onset of neuronal differentiation. Cell Rep 2022; 41:111542. [PMID: 36288718 PMCID: PMC9631114 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Revised: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell-type-specific gene regulatory programs are essential for cell differentiation and function. In animal neurons, the highly conserved ELAV/Hu family of proteins promotes alternative splicing and polyadenylation of mRNA precursors to create unique neuronal transcript isoforms. Here, we assess transcriptome profiles and neurogenesis success in Drosophila models engineered to express differing levels of ELAV activity in the course of development. We show that the ELAV-mediated establishment of a subset of neuronal mRNA isoforms at the onset of neuron differentiation constitutes a developmental bottleneck that cannot be overcome later by the nuclear activation of the paralog found in neurons (FNE). Loss of ELAV function outside of that critical time window results in neurological defects. We find that FNE, when activated early enough, can restore ELAV-dependent neuronal mRNA isoforms and fully rescue development. Our findings demonstrate the essential role of robust cellular strategies to maintain ELAV activity and intact neuronal signatures in neurogenesis and neuronal function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judit Carrasco
- Max-Planck-Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics, 79108 Freiburg, Germany; Faculty of Biology, Albert Ludwig University, 79104 Freiburg, Germany; International Max Planck Research School for Molecular and Cellular Biology (IMPRS-MCB), 79108 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Fernando Mateos
- Max-Planck-Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics, 79108 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Valérie Hilgers
- Max-Planck-Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics, 79108 Freiburg, Germany.
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15
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Rashad S, Byrne SR, Saigusa D, Xiang J, Zhou Y, Zhang L, Begley TJ, Tominaga T, Niizuma K. Codon Usage and mRNA Stability are Translational Determinants of Cellular Response to Canonical Ferroptosis Inducers. Neuroscience 2022; 501:103-130. [PMID: 35987429 PMCID: PMC10023133 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2022.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Revised: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Ferroptosis is a non-apoptotic cell death mechanism characterized by the generation of lipid peroxides. While many effectors in the ferroptosis pathway have been mapped, its epitranscriptional regulation is not yet fully understood. Ferroptosis can be induced via system xCT inhibition (Class I) or GPX4 inhibition (Class II). Previous works have revealed important differences in cellular response to different ferroptosis inducers. Importantly, blocking mRNA transcription or translation appears to protect cells against Class I ferroptosis inducing agents but not Class II. In this work, we examined the impact of blocking transcription (via Actinomycin D) or translation (via Cycloheximide) on Erastin (Class I) or RSL3 (Class II) induced ferroptosis. Blocking transcription or translation protected cells against Erastin but was detrimental against RSL3. Cycloheximide led to increased levels of GSH alone or when co-treated with Erastin via the activation of the reverse transsulfuration pathway. RNA sequencing analysis revealed early activation of a strong alternative splice program before observed changes in transcription. mRNA stability analysis revealed divergent mRNA stability changes in cellular response to Erastin or RSL3. Importantly, codon optimality biases were drastically different in either condition. Our data also implicated translation repression and rate as an important determinant of the cellular response to ferroptosis inducers. Given that mRNA stability and codon usage can be influenced via the tRNA epitranscriptome, we evaluated the role of a tRNA modifying enzyme in ferroptosis stress response. Alkbh1, a tRNA demethylase, led to translation repression and increased the resistance to Erastin but made cells more sensitive to RSL3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sherif Rashad
- Department of Neurosurgical Engineering and Translational Neuroscience, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan; Department of Neurosurgical Engineering and Translational Neuroscience, Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan; Department of Neurosurgery, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan.
| | - Shane R Byrne
- Department of Biological Engineering and Center for Environmental Health Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Daisuke Saigusa
- Laboratory of Biomedical and Analytical Sciences, Faculty of Pharma-Science, Teikyo University, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Integrative Genomics, Tohoku University Medical Megabank Organization, Sendai, Japan
| | - Jingdong Xiang
- Department of Biological Engineering and Center for Environmental Health Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Yuan Zhou
- Department of Neurosurgical Engineering and Translational Neuroscience, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Liyin Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgical Engineering and Translational Neuroscience, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Thomas J Begley
- The RNA Institute, University at Albany, Albany, NY, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, University at Albany, Albany, NY, USA; RNA Epitranscriptomics and Proteomics Resource, University at Albany, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Teiji Tominaga
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Kuniyasu Niizuma
- Department of Neurosurgical Engineering and Translational Neuroscience, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan; Department of Neurosurgical Engineering and Translational Neuroscience, Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan; Department of Neurosurgery, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
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16
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Lee S, Chen YC, Gillen AE, Taliaferro JM, Deplancke B, Li H, Lai EC. Diverse cell-specific patterns of alternative polyadenylation in Drosophila. Nat Commun 2022; 13:5372. [PMID: 36100597 PMCID: PMC9470587 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32305-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Most genes in higher eukaryotes express isoforms with distinct 3' untranslated regions (3' UTRs), generated by alternative polyadenylation (APA). Since 3' UTRs are predominant locations of post-transcriptional regulation, APA can render such programs conditional, and can also alter protein sequences via alternative last exon (ALE) isoforms. We previously used 3'-sequencing from diverse Drosophila samples to define multiple tissue-specific APA landscapes. Here, we exploit comprehensive single nucleus RNA-sequencing data (Fly Cell Atlas) to elucidate cell-type expression of 3' UTRs across >250 adult Drosophila cell types. We reveal the cellular bases of multiple tissue-specific APA/ALE programs, such as 3' UTR lengthening in differentiated neurons and 3' UTR shortening in spermatocytes and spermatids. We trace dynamic 3' UTR patterns across cell lineages, including in the male germline, and discover new APA patterns in the intestinal stem cell lineage. Finally, we correlate expression of RNA binding proteins (RBPs), miRNAs and global levels of cleavage and polyadenylation (CPA) factors in several cell types that exhibit characteristic APA landscapes, yielding candidate regulators of transcriptome complexity. These analyses provide a comprehensive foundation for future investigations of mechanisms and biological impacts of alternative 3' isoforms across the major cell types of this widely-studied model organism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seungjae Lee
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, 1275 York Ave, Box 252, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Yen-Chung Chen
- Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY, 10013, USA
| | | | - Austin E Gillen
- Division of Hematology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.,Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center, Aurora, CO, USA.,RNA Bioscience Initiative, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - J Matthew Taliaferro
- RNA Bioscience Initiative, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Bart Deplancke
- Laboratory of Systems Biology and Genetics, Institute of Bio-engineering & Global Health Institute, School of Life Sciences, EPFL, CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Hongjie Li
- Huffington Center on Aging, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.,Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Eric C Lai
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, 1275 York Ave, Box 252, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
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17
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Chakraborty A, Cadix M, Relier S, Taricco N, Alaeitabar T, Devaux A, Labbé CM, Martineau S, Heneman-Masurel A, Gestraud P, Inga A, Servant N, Vagner S, Dutertre M. Compartment-specific and ELAVL1-coordinated regulation of intronic polyadenylation isoforms by doxorubicin. Genome Res 2022; 32:gr.276192.121. [PMID: 35858751 PMCID: PMC9341504 DOI: 10.1101/gr.276192.121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Intronic polyadenylation (IPA) isoforms, which contain alternative last exons, are widely regulated in various biological processes and by many factors. However, little is known about their cytoplasmic regulation and translational status. In this study, we provide the first evidence that the genome-wide patterns of IPA isoform regulation during a biological process can be very distinct between the transcriptome and translatome, and between the nucleus and cytosol. Indeed, by 3'-seq analyses on breast cancer cells, we show that the genotoxic anticancer drug, doxorubicin, preferentially down-regulates the IPA to the last-exon (IPA:LE) isoform ratio in whole cells (as previously reported) but preferentially up-regulates it in polysomes. We further show that in nuclei, doxorubicin almost exclusively down-regulates the IPA:LE ratio, whereas in the cytosol, it preferentially up-regulates the isoform ratio, as in polysomes. Then, focusing on IPA isoforms that are up-regulated by doxorubicin in the cytosol and highly translated (up-regulated and/or abundant in polysomes), we identify several IPA isoforms that promote cell survival to doxorubicin. Mechanistically, by using an original approach of condition- and compartment-specific CLIP-seq (CCS-iCLIP) to analyze ELAVL1-RNA interactions in the nucleus and cytosol in the presence and absence of doxorubicin, as well as 3'-seq analyses upon ELAVL1 depletion, we show that the RNA-binding protein ELAVL1 mediates both nuclear down-regulation and cytosolic up-regulation of the IPA:LE isoform ratio in distinct sets of genes in response to doxorubicin. Altogether, these findings reveal differential regulation of the IPA:LE isoform ratio across subcellular compartments during drug response and its coordination by an RNA-binding protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alina Chakraborty
- Institut Curie, Université PSL, CNRS UMR3348, INSERM U1278, 91400 Orsay, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS UMR3348, INSERM U1278, 91400 Orsay, France
- Equipe Labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer, 91400 Orsay, France
| | - Mandy Cadix
- Institut Curie, Université PSL, CNRS UMR3348, INSERM U1278, 91400 Orsay, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS UMR3348, INSERM U1278, 91400 Orsay, France
- Equipe Labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer, 91400 Orsay, France
- INSERM U900, Mines Paris Tech, Institut Curie, 75000 Paris, France
| | - Sébastien Relier
- Institut Curie, Université PSL, CNRS UMR3348, INSERM U1278, 91400 Orsay, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS UMR3348, INSERM U1278, 91400 Orsay, France
- Equipe Labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer, 91400 Orsay, France
| | - Nicolò Taricco
- Institut Curie, Université PSL, CNRS UMR3348, INSERM U1278, 91400 Orsay, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS UMR3348, INSERM U1278, 91400 Orsay, France
- Equipe Labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer, 91400 Orsay, France
| | - Tina Alaeitabar
- Institut Curie, Université PSL, CNRS UMR3348, INSERM U1278, 91400 Orsay, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS UMR3348, INSERM U1278, 91400 Orsay, France
- Equipe Labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer, 91400 Orsay, France
- INSERM U900, Mines Paris Tech, Institut Curie, 75000 Paris, France
| | - Alexandre Devaux
- Institut Curie, Université PSL, CNRS UMR3348, INSERM U1278, 91400 Orsay, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS UMR3348, INSERM U1278, 91400 Orsay, France
- Equipe Labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer, 91400 Orsay, France
| | - Céline M Labbé
- Institut Curie, Université PSL, CNRS UMR3348, INSERM U1278, 91400 Orsay, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS UMR3348, INSERM U1278, 91400 Orsay, France
- Equipe Labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer, 91400 Orsay, France
| | - Sylvain Martineau
- Institut Curie, Université PSL, CNRS UMR3348, INSERM U1278, 91400 Orsay, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS UMR3348, INSERM U1278, 91400 Orsay, France
- Equipe Labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer, 91400 Orsay, France
| | - Amélie Heneman-Masurel
- Institut Curie, Université PSL, CNRS UMR3348, INSERM U1278, 91400 Orsay, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS UMR3348, INSERM U1278, 91400 Orsay, France
- Equipe Labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer, 91400 Orsay, France
| | - Pierre Gestraud
- INSERM U900, Mines Paris Tech, Institut Curie, 75000 Paris, France
| | - Alberto Inga
- Laboratory of Transcriptional Networks, Department CIBIO, University of Trento, 38123 Trento, Italy
| | - Nicolas Servant
- INSERM U900, Mines Paris Tech, Institut Curie, 75000 Paris, France
| | - Stéphan Vagner
- Institut Curie, Université PSL, CNRS UMR3348, INSERM U1278, 91400 Orsay, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS UMR3348, INSERM U1278, 91400 Orsay, France
- Equipe Labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer, 91400 Orsay, France
| | - Martin Dutertre
- Institut Curie, Université PSL, CNRS UMR3348, INSERM U1278, 91400 Orsay, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS UMR3348, INSERM U1278, 91400 Orsay, France
- Equipe Labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer, 91400 Orsay, France
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18
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Wiegel D, Dammann CEL, Nielsen HC. ErbB4 alternative splicing mediates fetal mouse alveolar type II cell differentiation in vitro. Pediatr Res 2022:10.1038/s41390-022-02013-y. [PMID: 35338350 PMCID: PMC9509489 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-022-02013-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alternative splicing (AS) creates different protein isoforms, an important mechanism regulating cell-specific function. Little is known about AS in lung development, particularly in alveolar type II (ATII) cells. ErbB4 receptor isoforms Jma and Jmb have significant and opposing functions in the brain, heart, and lung development and/or disease. However, the regulators of ErbB4 AS are unknown. ErbB4 AS regulators in fetal mouse ATII cells control its function in ATII cell maturation. METHODS Candidate ErbB4 AS regulators were found using in silico analysis. Their developmental expression was studied in fetal mouse ATII cells. The effects of splice factor downregulation and upregulation on ATII cell maturation were analyzed. RESULTS ErbB4-Jma increased significantly in ATII cells after gestation E16.5. In silico analysis found four candidate splice factors: FOX2, CUG/CELF1, TIAR, and HUB. Fetal ATII cells expressed these factors in distinct developmental profiles. HUB downregulation in E17.5 ATII cells increased Jma isoform levels and Sftpb gene expression and decreased Jmb. HUB overexpression decreased Jma and Sftpb. CONCLUSIONS ErbB4 AS is developmentally controlled by HUB in fetal ATII cells, promoting ATII differentiation. Regulated AS expression during ATII cell differentiation suggests novel therapeutic strategies to approach human disease. IMPACT Alternative splicing (AS) of the ErbB4 receptor, involving mutually exclusive exon inclusion, creates Jma and Jmb isoforms with distinct differences in receptor processing and function. The Jma isoform of ErbB4 promotes differentiation of fetal lung alveolar type II cells. The AS is mediated in part by the RNA-binding protein HUB. The molecular mechanism of AS for ErbB4 has not been previously described. The regulation of ErbB4 AS has important implications in the development of organs, such as the lung, brain, and heart, and for disease, including cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorothea Wiegel
- Hannover Medical School, 30625, Hannover, Germany
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Floating Hospital for Children at Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, 02111, USA
| | - Christiane E L Dammann
- Hannover Medical School, 30625, Hannover, Germany
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Floating Hospital for Children at Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, 02111, USA
- Graduate School for Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Heber C Nielsen
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Floating Hospital for Children at Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, 02111, USA.
- Graduate School for Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA.
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19
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Abstract
The process of alternative polyadenylation (APA) generates multiple 3' UTR isoforms for a given locus, which can alter regulatory capacity and on occasion change coding potential. APA was initially characterized for a few genes, but in the past decade, has been found to be the rule for metazoan genes. While numerous differences in APA profiles have been catalogued across genetic conditions, perturbations, and diseases, our knowledge of APA mechanisms and biology is far from complete. In this review, we highlight recent findings regarding the role of the conserved ELAV/Hu family of RNA binding proteins (RBPs) in generating the broad landscape of lengthened 3' UTRs that is characteristic of neurons. We relate this to their established roles in alternative splicing, and summarize ongoing directions that will further elucidate the molecular strategies for neural APA, the in vivo functions of ELAV/Hu RBPs, and the phenotypic consequences of these regulatory paradigms in neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Wei
- Key Laboratory of RNA Biology, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Eric C. Lai
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, New York, NY, United States
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20
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Pegoraro M, Sayegh Rezek E, Fishman B, Tauber E. Nucleotide Variation in Drosophila cryptochrome Is Linked to Circadian Clock Function: An Association Analysis. Front Physiol 2022; 13:781380. [PMID: 35250608 PMCID: PMC8892179 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.781380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptochrome (CRY) is a conserved protein associated with the circadian clock in a broad range of organisms, including plants, insects, and mammals. In Drosophila, cry is a pleiotropic gene that encodes a blue light-dedicated circadian photoreceptor, as well as an electromagnetic field sensor and a geotaxis behavior regulator. We have generated a panel of nearly-isogenic strains that originated from various wild populations and which carry different natural alleles of cry. Sequencing of these alleles revealed substantial polymorphism, the functional role of which was elusive. To link this natural molecular diversity to gene function, we relied on association mapping. Such analysis revealed two major haplogroups consisting of six linked nucleotides associated with circadian phase (haplotypes All1/All2). We also generated a maximum-likelihood gene-tree that uncovered an additional pair of haplogroups (B1/B2). Behavioral analysis of the different haplotypes indicated significant effect on circadian phase and period, as well on the amount of activity and sleep. The data also suggested substantial epistasis between the All and B haplogroups. Intriguingly, circadian photosensitivity, assessed by light-pulse experiments, did not differ between the genotypes. Using CRISPR-mediated transgenic flies, we verified the effect of B1/B2 polymorphism on circadian phase. The transgenic flies also exhibited substantially different levels of cry transcription. We, moreover, analyzed the geographical distribution of the B1/B2 haplotypes, focusing on a 12 bp insertion/deletion polymorphism that differentiates the two haplotypes. Analysis of cry sequences in wild populations across Europe revealed a geographical cline of B1/B2 indel frequency, which correlated with seasonal bioclimatic variables. This spatial distribution of cry polymorphism reinforces the functional importance of these haplotypes in the circadian system and local adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirko Pegoraro
- School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Department of Genetics and Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
| | - Emily Sayegh Rezek
- Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, Institute of Evolution, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Bettina Fishman
- Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, Institute of Evolution, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Eran Tauber
- Department of Genetics and Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
- Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, Institute of Evolution, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
- *Correspondence: Eran Tauber,
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21
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Wondji CS, Hearn J, Irving H, Wondji MJ, Weedall G. RNAseq-based gene expression profiling of the Anopheles funestus pyrethroid-resistant strain FUMOZ highlights the predominant role of the duplicated CYP6P9a/b cytochrome P450s. G3 (Bethesda) 2022; 12:jkab352. [PMID: 34718535 PMCID: PMC8727960 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkab352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Insecticide-based interventions, notably long-lasting insecticidal nets, against mosquito vectors of malaria are currently threatened by pyrethroid resistance. Here, we contrasted RNAseq-based gene expression profiling of laboratory-resistant (FUMOZ) and susceptible (FANG) strains of the major malaria vector Anopheles funestus. Cytochrome P450 genes were the predominant over-expressed detoxification genes in FUMOZ, with high expression of the duplicated CYP6P9a (fold-change of 82.23 vs FANG) and CYP6P9b (FC 11.15). Other over-expressed P450s belonged to the same cluster of P450s corresponding to the resistance to pyrethroid 1 (rp1) quantitative trait loci (QTL) on chromosome 2R. Several Epsilon class glutathione S-transferases were also over-expressed in FUMOZ, as was the ATP-binding cassette transporter AFUN019220 (ABCA) which also exhibited between-strain alternative splicing events at exon 7. Significant differences in single-nucleotide polymorphism frequencies between strains occurred in resistance QTLs rp1 (CYP6P9a/b and CYP6AA1), rp2 on chromosome 2L (CYP6Z1, CYP6M7, and CYP6Z3), and rp3 on chromosome 3R (CYP9J5, CYP9J4, and CYP9J3). Differences were also detected in CYP4G17 and CYP4G16 genes on the X chromosome, both of which are associated with cuticular resistance in Anopheles gambiae. A close analysis of nonsynonymous diversity at the CYP6P9a/b loci revealed a drastic loss of diversity in FUMOZ with only a single polymorphism and 2 haplotypes vs 18 substitutions and 8 haplotypes in FANG. By contrast, a lowly expressed cytochrome P450 (CYP4C36) did not exhibit diversity differences between strains. We also detected the known pyrethroid resistance conferring amino acid change N384S in CYP6P9b. This study further elucidates the molecular bases of resistance in An. funestus, informing strategies to better manage widespread resistance across Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles S Wondji
- Vector Biology Department, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool L3 5QA, UK
- LSTM Research Unit, Centre for Research in Infectious Diseases (CRID), Yaoundé, P.O. Box 1359, Cameroon
- Entomology Unit, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Yaoundé, P.O. Box 2008, Cameroon
| | - Jack Hearn
- Vector Biology Department, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool L3 5QA, UK
| | - Helen Irving
- Vector Biology Department, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool L3 5QA, UK
| | - Murielle J Wondji
- Vector Biology Department, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool L3 5QA, UK
- LSTM Research Unit, Centre for Research in Infectious Diseases (CRID), Yaoundé, P.O. Box 1359, Cameroon
| | - Gareth Weedall
- School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool L3 3AF, UK
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22
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Abstract
In Eukarya, immature mRNA transcripts (pre-mRNA) often contain coding sequences, or exons, interleaved by non-coding sequences, or introns. Introns are removed upon splicing, and further regulation of the retained exons leads to alternatively spliced mRNA. The splicing reaction requires the stepwise assembly of the spliceosome, a macromolecular machine composed of small nuclear ribonucleoproteins (snRNPs). This review focuses on the early stage of spliceosome assembly, when U1 snRNP defines each intron 5’-splice site (5ʹss) in the pre-mRNA. We first introduce the splicing reaction and the impact of alternative splicing on gene expression regulation. Thereafter, we extensively discuss splicing descriptors that influence the 5ʹss selection by U1 snRNP, such as sequence determinants, and interactions mediated by U1-specific proteins or U1 small nuclear RNA (U1 snRNA). We also include examples of diseases that affect the 5ʹss selection by U1 snRNP, and discuss recent therapeutic advances that manipulate U1 snRNP 5ʹss selectivity with antisense oligonucleotides and small-molecule splicing switches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Malard
- Inserm U1212, CNRS UMR5320, ARNA Laboratory, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux Cedex, France
| | - Cameron D Mackereth
- Inserm U1212, CNRS UMR5320, ARNA Laboratory, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux Cedex, France
| | - Sébastien Campagne
- Inserm U1212, CNRS UMR5320, ARNA Laboratory, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux Cedex, France
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23
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Burri D, Zavolan M. Shortening of 3' UTRs in most cell types composing tumor tissues implicates alternative polyadenylation in protein metabolism. RNA 2021; 27:1459-1470. [PMID: 34521731 PMCID: PMC8594477 DOI: 10.1261/rna.078886.121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
During pre-mRNA maturation 3' end processing can occur at different polyadenylation sites in the 3' untranslated region (3' UTR) to give rise to transcript isoforms that differ in the length of their 3' UTRs. Longer 3' UTRs contain additional cis-regulatory elements that impact the fate of the transcript and/or of the resulting protein. Extensive alternative polyadenylation (APA) has been observed in cancers, but the mechanisms and roles remain elusive. In particular, it is unclear whether the APA occurs in the malignant cells or in other cell types that infiltrate the tumor. To resolve this, we developed a computational method, called SCUREL, that quantifies changes in 3' UTR length between groups of cells, including cells of the same type originating from tumor and control tissue. We used this method to study APA in human lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). SCUREL relies solely on annotated 3' UTRs and on control systems such as T cell activation, and spermatogenesis gives qualitatively similar results at much greater sensitivity compared to the previously published scAPA method. In the LUAD samples, we find a general trend toward 3' UTR shortening not only in cancer cells compared to the cell type of origin, but also when comparing other cell types from the tumor vs. the control tissue environment. However, we also find high variability in the individual targets between patients. The findings help in understanding the extent and impact of APA in LUAD, which may support improvements in diagnosis and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominik Burri
- Computational and Systems Biology, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, CH-4056, Switzerland SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Basel, CH-4056, Switzerland
| | - Mihaela Zavolan
- Computational and Systems Biology, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, CH-4056, Switzerland SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Basel, CH-4056, Switzerland
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24
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Castro Alvarez JJ, Revel M, Carrasco J, Cléard F, Pauli D, Hilgers V, Karch F, Maeda RK. Repression of the Hox gene abd-A by ELAV-mediated Transcriptional Interference. PLoS Genet 2021; 17:e1009843. [PMID: 34780465 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Revised: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Intergenic transcription is a common feature of eukaryotic genomes and performs important and diverse cellular functions. Here, we investigate the iab-8 ncRNA from the Drosophila Bithorax Complex and show that this RNA is able to repress the transcription of genes located at its 3’ end by a sequence-independent, transcriptional interference mechanism. Although this RNA is expressed in the early epidermis and CNS, we find that its repressive activity is limited to the CNS, where, in wild-type embryos, it acts on the Hox gene, abd-A, located immediately downstream of it. The CNS specificity is achieved through a 3’ extension of the transcript, mediated by the neuronal-specific, RNA-binding protein, ELAV. Loss of ELAV activity eliminates the 3’ extension and results in the ectopic activation of abd-A. Thus, a tissue-specific change in the length of a ncRNA is used to generate a precise pattern of gene expression in a higher eukaryote. Although all of the cells making up complex organisms contain the same genetic material, they are nevertheless able to create the diverse tissues of the body. They do this by changing the genes they express. Thus, understanding how genes are controlled in a tissue-specific fashion is one of the primary interests of molecular genetics. Within the bithorax homeotic complex of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, we, and others, previously showed that a >92 kb-long non-coding RNA, called the iab-8 ncRNA, downregulates many important developmental genes, including its genomic downstream neighbor, the homeotic gene abd-A. This downregulation is important as its loss is linked to female sterility. Interestingly, we find that the iab-8 ncRNA regulates abd-A through a mechanism called transcriptional interference, where one gene downregulates a target gene by transcribing over it. In the case of iab-8, this process is limited to the posterior central nervous system, where the iab-8 ncRNA is specifically extended into the abd-A gene by the action of the neuronal-specific RNA binding protein, ELAV. Overall, our work highlights a largely unexplored mechanism by which tissue-specific gene regulation is achieved.
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25
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Chatterjee B, Shen CJ, Majumder P. RNA Modifications and RNA Metabolism in Neurological Disease Pathogenesis. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:11870. [PMID: 34769301 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222111870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 10/16/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The intrinsic cellular heterogeneity and molecular complexity of the mammalian nervous system relies substantially on the dynamic nature and spatiotemporal patterning of gene expression. These features of gene expression are achieved in part through mechanisms involving various epigenetic processes such as DNA methylation, post-translational histone modifications, and non-coding RNA activity, amongst others. In concert, another regulatory layer by which RNA bases and sugar residues are chemically modified enhances neuronal transcriptome complexity. Similar RNA modifications in other systems collectively constitute the cellular epitranscriptome that integrates and impacts various physiological processes. The epitranscriptome is dynamic and is reshaped constantly to regulate vital processes such as development, differentiation and stress responses. Perturbations of the epitranscriptome can lead to various pathogenic conditions, including cancer, cardiovascular abnormalities and neurological diseases. Recent advances in next-generation sequencing technologies have enabled us to identify and locate modified bases/sugars on different RNA species. These RNA modifications modulate the stability, transport and, most importantly, translation of RNA. In this review, we discuss the formation and functions of some frequently observed RNA modifications—including methylations of adenine and cytosine bases, and isomerization of uridine to pseudouridine—at various layers of RNA metabolism, together with their contributions to abnormal physiological conditions that can lead to various neurodevelopmental and neurological disorders.
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26
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Castro Alvarez JJ, Revel M, Cléard F, Pauli D, Karch F, Maeda RK. Repression of the Hox gene abd-A by ELAV-mediated Transcriptional Interference.. [DOI: 10.1101/2021.09.29.462302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACTIntergenic transcription is a common feature of eukaryotic genomes and performs important and diverse cellular functions. Here, we investigate the iab-8 ncRNA from the Drosophila Bithorax Complex and show that this RNA is able to repress the transcription of genes located at its 3’ end by a sequence-independent, transcriptional interference mechanism. Although this RNA is expressed in the early epidermis and CNS, we find that its repressive activity is limited to the CNS, where in wild-type embryos, it acts on the Hox gene, abd-A located immediately downstream of it. The CNS specificity is achieved through a 3’ extension of the transcript, mediated by the neuronal-specific, RNA-binding protein, ELAV. Loss of ELAV activity eliminates the 3’ extension and results in the ectopic activation of abd-A. Thus, a tissue-specific change in the length of a ncRNA is used to generate a precise pattern of gene expression in a higher eukaryote.
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27
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Brenneis G, Schwentner M, Giribet G, Beltz BS. Insights into the genetic regulatory network underlying neurogenesis in the parthenogenetic marbled crayfish Procambarus virginalis. Dev Neurobiol 2021; 81:939-974. [PMID: 34554654 DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Revised: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Nervous system development has been intensely studied in insects (especially Drosophila melanogaster), providing detailed insights into the genetic regulatory network governing the formation and maintenance of the neural stem cells (neuroblasts) and the differentiation of their progeny. Despite notable advances over the last two decades, neurogenesis in other arthropod groups remains by comparison less well understood, hampering finer resolution of evolutionary cell type transformations and changes in the genetic regulatory network in some branches of the arthropod tree of life. Although the neurogenic cellular machinery in malacostracan crustaceans is well described morphologically, its genetic molecular characterization is pending. To address this, we established an in situ hybridization protocol for the crayfish Procambarus virginalis and studied embryonic expression patterns of a suite of key genes, encompassing three SoxB group transcription factors, two achaete-scute homologs, a Snail family member, the differentiation determinants Prospero and Brain tumor, and the neuron marker Elav. We document cell type expression patterns with notable similarities to insects and branchiopod crustaceans, lending further support to the homology of hexapod-crustacean neuroblasts and their cell lineages. Remarkably, in the crayfish head region, cell emigration from the neuroectoderm coupled with gene expression data points to a neuroblast-independent initial phase of brain neurogenesis. Further, SoxB group expression patterns suggest an involvement of Dichaete in segmentation, in concordance with insects. Our target gene set is a promising starting point for further embryonic studies, as well as for the molecular genetic characterization of subregions and cell types in the neurogenic systems in the adult crayfish brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georg Brenneis
- Neuroscience Program, Wellesley College, Wellesley, Massachusetts, USA.,Zoologisches Institut und Museum, Universität Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Martin Schwentner
- Naturhistorisches Museum Wien, Vienna, Austria.,Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Gonzalo Giribet
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Barbara S Beltz
- Neuroscience Program, Wellesley College, Wellesley, Massachusetts, USA
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28
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Kao SY, Nikonova E, Chaabane S, Sabani A, Martitz A, Wittner A, Heemken J, Straub T, Spletter ML. A Candidate RNAi Screen Reveals Diverse RNA-Binding Protein Phenotypes in Drosophila Flight Muscle. Cells 2021; 10:2505. [PMID: 34685485 PMCID: PMC8534295 DOI: 10.3390/cells10102505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Revised: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The proper regulation of RNA processing is critical for muscle development and the fine-tuning of contractile ability among muscle fiber-types. RNA binding proteins (RBPs) regulate the diverse steps in RNA processing, including alternative splicing, which generates fiber-type specific isoforms of structural proteins that confer contractile sarcomeres with distinct biomechanical properties. Alternative splicing is disrupted in muscle diseases such as myotonic dystrophy and dilated cardiomyopathy and is altered after intense exercise as well as with aging. It is therefore important to understand splicing and RBP function, but currently, only a small fraction of the hundreds of annotated RBPs expressed in muscle have been characterized. Here, we demonstrate the utility of Drosophila as a genetic model system to investigate basic developmental mechanisms of RBP function in myogenesis. We find that RBPs exhibit dynamic temporal and fiber-type specific expression patterns in mRNA-Seq data and display muscle-specific phenotypes. We performed knockdown with 105 RNAi hairpins targeting 35 RBPs and report associated lethality, flight, myofiber and sarcomere defects, including flight muscle phenotypes for Doa, Rm62, mub, mbl, sbr, and clu. Knockdown phenotypes of spliceosome components, as highlighted by phenotypes for A-complex components SF1 and Hrb87F (hnRNPA1), revealed level- and temporal-dependent myofibril defects. We further show that splicing mediated by SF1 and Hrb87F is necessary for Z-disc stability and proper myofibril development, and strong knockdown of either gene results in impaired localization of kettin to the Z-disc. Our results expand the number of RBPs with a described phenotype in muscle and underscore the diversity in myofibril and transcriptomic phenotypes associated with splicing defects. Drosophila is thus a powerful model to gain disease-relevant insight into cellular and molecular phenotypes observed when expression levels of splicing factors, spliceosome components and splicing dynamics are altered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shao-Yen Kao
- Biomedical Center, Department of Physiological Chemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Großhaderner Str. 9, 82152 Martinsried-Planegg, Germany; (S.-Y.K.); (E.N.); (S.C.); (A.W.); (J.H.)
| | - Elena Nikonova
- Biomedical Center, Department of Physiological Chemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Großhaderner Str. 9, 82152 Martinsried-Planegg, Germany; (S.-Y.K.); (E.N.); (S.C.); (A.W.); (J.H.)
| | - Sabrina Chaabane
- Biomedical Center, Department of Physiological Chemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Großhaderner Str. 9, 82152 Martinsried-Planegg, Germany; (S.-Y.K.); (E.N.); (S.C.); (A.W.); (J.H.)
| | - Albiona Sabani
- Department of Biology, University of Wisconsin at Madison, 1117 W. Johnson St., Madison, WI 53706, USA;
| | - Alexandra Martitz
- Molecular Nutrition Medicine, Else Kröner-Fresenius Center, Technical University of Munich, 85354 Freising, Germany;
| | - Anja Wittner
- Biomedical Center, Department of Physiological Chemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Großhaderner Str. 9, 82152 Martinsried-Planegg, Germany; (S.-Y.K.); (E.N.); (S.C.); (A.W.); (J.H.)
| | - Jakob Heemken
- Biomedical Center, Department of Physiological Chemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Großhaderner Str. 9, 82152 Martinsried-Planegg, Germany; (S.-Y.K.); (E.N.); (S.C.); (A.W.); (J.H.)
| | - Tobias Straub
- Biomedical Center, Bioinformatics Core Facility, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Großhaderner Str. 9, 82152 Martinsried-Planegg, Germany;
| | - Maria L. Spletter
- Biomedical Center, Department of Physiological Chemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Großhaderner Str. 9, 82152 Martinsried-Planegg, Germany; (S.-Y.K.); (E.N.); (S.C.); (A.W.); (J.H.)
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29
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Zhu S, Choudhury NR, Rooney S, Pham NT, Koszela J, Kelly D, Spanos C, Rappsilber J, Auer M, Michlewski G. RNA pull-down confocal nanoscanning (RP-CONA) detects quercetin as pri-miR-7/HuR interaction inhibitor that decreases α-synuclein levels. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:6456-6473. [PMID: 34107032 PMCID: PMC8216281 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2021] [Revised: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA-protein interactions are central to all gene expression processes and contribute to a variety of human diseases. Therapeutic approaches targeting RNA-protein interactions have shown promising effects on some diseases that are previously regarded as 'incurable'. Here, we developed a fluorescent on-bead screening platform, RNA Pull-Down COnfocal NAnoscanning (RP-CONA), to identify RNA-protein interaction modulators in eukaryotic cell extracts. Using RP-CONA, we identified small molecules that disrupt the interaction between HuR, an inhibitor of brain-enriched miR-7 biogenesis, and the conserved terminal loop of pri-miR-7-1. Importantly, miR-7's primary target is an mRNA of α-synuclein, which contributes to the aetiology of Parkinson's disease. Our method identified a natural product quercetin as a molecule able to upregulate cellular miR-7 levels and downregulate the expression of α-synuclein. This opens up new therapeutic avenues towards treatment of Parkinson's disease as well as provides a novel methodology to search for modulators of RNA-protein interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siran Zhu
- Infection Medicine, University of Edinburgh, The Chancellor’s Building, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK
- Dioscuri Centre for RNA-Protein Interactions in Human Health and Disease, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Warsaw 02-109, Poland
| | - Nila Roy Choudhury
- Infection Medicine, University of Edinburgh, The Chancellor’s Building, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK
| | - Saul Rooney
- Infection Medicine, University of Edinburgh, The Chancellor’s Building, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK
| | - Nhan T Pham
- School of Biological Sciences, IQB3, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 9FF, UK
| | - Joanna Koszela
- School of Biological Sciences, IQB3, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 9FF, UK
| | - David Kelly
- The Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, Max Born Crescent, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK
| | - Christos Spanos
- The Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, Max Born Crescent, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK
| | - Juri Rappsilber
- The Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, Max Born Crescent, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK
- Department of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin 13355, Germany
| | - Manfred Auer
- School of Biological Sciences, IQB3, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 9FF, UK
| | - Gracjan Michlewski
- Dioscuri Centre for RNA-Protein Interactions in Human Health and Disease, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Warsaw 02-109, Poland
- Infection Medicine, University of Edinburgh, The Chancellor’s Building, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK
- Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Haining, Zhejiang 314400, P.R. China
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