CLIPreg: Constructing translational regulatory networks from CLIP-, Ribo- and RNA-seq

MOTIVATION

The creation and analysis of gene regulatory networks have been the focus of bioinformatics research and underpins much of what is known about gene regulation. However, as a result of a bias in the availability of data-types that are collected, the vast majority of gene regulatory network resources and tools have focused on either transcriptional regulation or protein-protein interactions. This has left other areas of regulation, for instance, translational regulation, vastly underrepresented despite them having been shown to play a critical role in both health and disease.

RESULTS

In order to address this we have developed CLIPreg, a package that integrates RNA, Ribo and CLIP- sequencing data in order to construct translational regulatory networks coordinated by RNA-binding proteins and micro-RNAs. This is the first tool of its type to be created, allowing for detailed investigation into a previously unseen layer of regulation.

AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION

CLIPreg is available at https://github.com/SGDDNB/CLIPreg.

Coding and non-coding roles of MOCCI (C15ORF48) coordinate to regulate host inflammation and immunity

Mito-SEPs are small open reading frame-encoded peptides that localize to the mitochondria to regulate metabolism. Motivated by an intriguing negative association between mito-SEPs and inflammation, here we screen for mito-SEPs that modify inflammatory outcomes and report a mito-SEP named "Modulator of cytochrome C oxidase during Inflammation" (MOCCI) that is upregulated during inflammation and infection to promote host-protective resolution. MOCCI, a paralog of the NDUFA4 subunit of cytochrome C oxidase (Complex IV), replaces NDUFA4 in Complex IV during inflammation to lower mitochondrial membrane potential and reduce ROS production, leading to cyto-protection and dampened immune response. The MOCCI transcript also generates miR-147b, which targets the NDUFA4 mRNA with similar immune dampening effects as MOCCI, but simultaneously enhances RIG-I/MDA-5-mediated viral immunity. Our work uncovers a dual-component pleiotropic regulation of host inflammation and immunity by MOCCI (C15ORF48) for safeguarding the host during infection and inflammation.