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Dokshin GA, Davis GM, Sawle AD, Eldridge MD, Nicholls PK, Gourley TE, Romer KA, Molesworth LW, Tatnell HR, Ozturk AR, de Rooij DG, Hannon GJ, Page DC, Mello CC, Carmell MA. GCNA Interacts with Spartan and Topoisomerase II to Regulate Genome Stability. Dev Cell 2020; 52:53-68.e6. [PMID: 31839538 PMCID: PMC7227305 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2019.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [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: 03/04/2019] [Revised: 08/14/2019] [Accepted: 11/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
GCNA proteins are expressed across eukarya in pluripotent cells and have conserved functions in fertility. GCNA homologs Spartan (DVC-1) and Wss1 resolve DNA-protein crosslinks (DPCs), including Topoisomerase-DNA adducts, during DNA replication. Here, we show that GCNA mutants in mouse and C. elegans display defects in genome maintenance including DNA damage, aberrant chromosome condensation, and crossover defects in mouse spermatocytes and spontaneous genomic rearrangements in C. elegans. We show that GCNA and topoisomerase II (TOP2) physically interact in both mice and worms and colocalize on condensed chromosomes during mitosis in C. elegans embryos. Moreover, C. elegans gcna-1 mutants are hypersensitive to TOP2 poison. Together, our findings support a model in which GCNA provides genome maintenance functions in the germline and may do so, in part, by promoting the resolution of TOP2 DPCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregoriy A Dokshin
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Gregory M Davis
- School of Health and Life Sciences, Federation University, VIC 3841, Australia
| | - Ashley D Sawle
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK
| | - Matthew D Eldridge
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK
| | | | - Taylin E Gourley
- School of Health and Life Sciences, Federation University, VIC 3841, Australia
| | - Katherine A Romer
- Whitehead Institute, 455 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Computational and Systems Biology Program, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Luke W Molesworth
- School of Health and Life Sciences, Federation University, VIC 3841, Australia
| | - Hannah R Tatnell
- School of Health and Life Sciences, Federation University, VIC 3841, Australia
| | - Ahmet R Ozturk
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Dirk G de Rooij
- Whitehead Institute, 455 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Reproductive Biology Group, Division of Developmental Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht 3584, the Netherlands; Center for Reproductive Medicine, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam 1105, the Netherlands
| | - Gregory J Hannon
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK; Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
| | - David C Page
- Whitehead Institute, 455 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Whitehead Institute, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Craig C Mello
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA.
| | - Michelle A Carmell
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA; Whitehead Institute, 455 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA.
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Carmell MA, Dokshin GA, Skaletsky H, Hu YC, van Wolfswinkel JC, Igarashi KJ, Bellott DW, Nefedov M, Reddien PW, Enders GC, Uversky VN, Mello CC, Page DC. A widely employed germ cell marker is an ancient disordered protein with reproductive functions in diverse eukaryotes. eLife 2016; 5. [PMID: 27718356 PMCID: PMC5098910 DOI: 10.7554/elife.19993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [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: 07/27/2016] [Accepted: 10/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The advent of sexual reproduction and the evolution of a dedicated germline in multicellular organisms are critical landmarks in eukaryotic evolution. We report an ancient family of GCNA (germ cell nuclear antigen) proteins that arose in the earliest eukaryotes, and feature a rapidly evolving intrinsically disordered region (IDR). Phylogenetic analysis reveals that GCNA proteins emerged before the major eukaryotic lineages diverged; GCNA predates the origin of a dedicated germline by a billion years. Gcna gene expression is enriched in reproductive cells across eukarya - either just prior to or during meiosis in single-celled eukaryotes, and in stem cells and germ cells of diverse multicellular animals. Studies of Gcna-mutant C. elegans and mice indicate that GCNA has functioned in reproduction for at least 600 million years. Homology to IDR-containing proteins implicated in DNA damage repair suggests that GCNA proteins may protect the genomic integrity of cells carrying a heritable genome.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gregoriy A Dokshin
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, United States
| | - Helen Skaletsky
- Whitehead Institute, Cambridge, United States.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, United States
| | | | | | | | | | - Michael Nefedov
- BACPAC Resources, Children's Hospital Oakland, Oakland, United States
| | - Peter W Reddien
- Whitehead Institute, Cambridge, United States.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, United States.,Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States
| | - George C Enders
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, United States
| | - Vladimir N Uversky
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, United States
| | - Craig C Mello
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, United States.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, United States
| | - David C Page
- Whitehead Institute, Cambridge, United States.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, United States.,Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States
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Carmell MA, Girard A, van de Kant HJG, Bourc'his D, Bestor TH, de Rooij DG, Hannon GJ. MIWI2 is essential for spermatogenesis and repression of transposons in the mouse male germline. Dev Cell 2007; 12:503-14. [PMID: 17395546 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2007.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 814] [Impact Index Per Article: 47.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2006] [Revised: 02/28/2007] [Accepted: 03/01/2007] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Small RNAs associate with Argonaute proteins and serve as sequence-specific guides for regulation of mRNA stability, productive translation, chromatin organization, and genome structure. In animals, the Argonaute superfamily segregates into two clades. The Argonaute clade acts in RNAi and in microRNA-mediated gene regulation in partnership with 21-22 nt RNAs. The Piwi clade, and their 26-30 nt piRNA partners, have yet to be assigned definitive functions. In mice, two Piwi-family members have been demonstrated to have essential roles in spermatogenesis. Here, we examine the effects of disrupting the gene encoding the third family member, MIWI2. Miwi2-deficient mice display a meiotic-progression defect in early prophase of meiosis I and a marked and progressive loss of germ cells with age. These phenotypes may be linked to an inappropriate activation of transposable elements detected in Miwi2 mutants. Our observations suggest a conserved function for Piwi-clade proteins in the control of transposons in the germline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle A Carmell
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Watson School of Biological Sciences, 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
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Girard A, Sachidanandam R, Hannon GJ, Carmell MA. A germline-specific class of small RNAs binds mammalian Piwi proteins. Nature 2006; 442:199-202. [PMID: 16751776 DOI: 10.1038/nature04917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1184] [Impact Index Per Article: 65.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2006] [Accepted: 05/18/2006] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Small RNAs associate with Argonaute proteins and serve as sequence-specific guides to regulate messenger RNA stability, protein synthesis, chromatin organization and genome structure. In animals, Argonaute proteins segregate into two subfamilies. The Argonaute subfamily acts in RNA interference and in microRNA-mediated gene regulation using 21-22-nucleotide RNAs as guides. The Piwi subfamily is involved in germline-specific events such as germline stem cell maintenance and meiosis. However, neither the biochemical function of Piwi proteins nor the nature of their small RNA guides is known. Here we show that MIWI, a murine Piwi protein, binds a previously uncharacterized class of approximately 29-30-nucleotide RNAs that are highly abundant in testes. We have therefore named these Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs). piRNAs show distinctive localization patterns in the genome, being predominantly grouped into 20-90-kilobase clusters, wherein long stretches of small RNAs are derived from only one strand. Similar piRNAs are also found in human and rat, with major clusters occurring in syntenic locations. Although their function must still be resolved, the abundance of piRNAs in germline cells and the male sterility of Miwi mutants suggest a role in gametogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angélique Girard
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Watson School of Biological Sciences, 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, New York 11724, USA
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Abstract
Given the difficulty of applying gene knockout technology to species other than mice, we decided to explore the utility of RNA interference (RNAi) in silencing the expression of genes in livestock. Short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) were designed and screened for their ability to suppress the expression of caprine and bovine prion protein (PrP). Lentiviral vectors were used to deliver a transgene expressing GFP and an shRNA targeting PrP into goat fibroblasts. These cells were then used for nuclear transplantation to produce a cloned goat fetus, which was surgically recovered at 81 days of gestation and compared with an age-matched control derived by natural mating. All tissues examined in the cloned fetus expressed GFP, and PCR analysis confirmed the presence of the transgene encoding the PrP shRNA. Most relevant, Western blot analysis performed on brain tissues comparing the transgenic fetus with control demonstrated a significant (>90%) decrease in PrP expression levels. To confirm that similar methodologies could be applied to the bovine, recombinant virus was injected into the perivitelline space of bovine ova. After in vitro fertilization and culture, 76% of the blastocysts exhibited GFP expression, indicative that they expressed shRNAs targeting PrP. Our results provide strong evidence that the approach described here will be useful in producing transgenic livestock conferring potential disease resistance and provide an effective strategy for suppressing gene expression in a variety of large-animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael C. Golding
- *Watson School of Biological Sciences, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724; and
| | - Charles R. Long
- Department of Veterinary Physiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843
| | - Michelle A. Carmell
- *Watson School of Biological Sciences, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724; and
| | - Gregory J. Hannon
- *Watson School of Biological Sciences, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724; and
- To whom correspondence may be addressed. E-mail:
| | - Mark E. Westhusin
- Department of Veterinary Physiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843
- To whom correspondence may be addressed. E-mail:
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Abstract
Gene silencing through RNA interference (RNAi) is carried out by RISC, the RNA-induced silencing complex. RISC contains two signature components, small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and Argonaute family proteins. Here, we show that the multiple Argonaute proteins present in mammals are both biologically and biochemically distinct, with a single mammalian family member, Argonaute2, being responsible for messenger RNA cleavage activity. This protein is essential for mouse development, and cells lacking Argonaute2 are unable to mount an experimental response to siRNAs. Mutations within a cryptic ribonuclease H domain within Argonaute2, as identified by comparison with the structure of an archeal Argonaute protein, inactivate RISC. Thus, our evidence supports a model in which Argonaute contributes "Slicer" activity to RISC, providing the catalytic engine for RNAi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jidong Liu
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Watson School of Biological Sciences, 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
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Abstract
Our understanding of RNA interference has been enhanced by new data concerning RNase III molecules. The role of Dicer has previously been established in RNAi as the originator of 22-mers characteristic of silencing phenomena. Recently, a related RNAse III enzyme, Drosha, has surfaced as another component of the RNAi pathway. In addition to biochemistry, protein structures have proven to be helpful in deciphering the enzymology of RNase III molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle A Carmell
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Watson School of Biological Sciences, 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, New York 11724, USA
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Bernstein E, Kim SY, Carmell MA, Murchison EP, Alcorn H, Li MZ, Mills AA, Elledge SJ, Anderson KV, Hannon GJ. Erratum: Dicer is essential for mouse development. Nat Genet 2003. [DOI: 10.1038/ng1103-287b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Bernstein E, Kim SY, Carmell MA, Murchison EP, Alcorn H, Li MZ, Mills AA, Elledge SJ, Anderson KV, Hannon GJ. Dicer is essential for mouse development. Nat Genet 2003; 35:215-7. [PMID: 14528307 DOI: 10.1038/ng1253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1409] [Impact Index Per Article: 67.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2003] [Accepted: 09/19/2003] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
To address the biological function of RNA interference (RNAi)-related pathways in mammals, we disrupted the gene Dicer1 in mice. Loss of Dicer1 lead to lethality early in development, with Dicer1-null embryos depleted of stem cells. Coupled with our inability to generate viable Dicer1-null embryonic stem (ES) cells, this suggests a role for Dicer, and, by implication, the RNAi machinery, in maintaining the stem cell population during early mouse development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Bernstein
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Watson School of Biological Sciences, 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, New York 11724, USA
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Carmell MA, Zhang L, Conklin DS, Hannon GJ, Rosenquist TA. Germline transmission of RNAi in mice. Nat Struct Biol 2003; 10:91-2. [PMID: 12536207 DOI: 10.1038/nsb896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 157] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2002] [Accepted: 01/03/2003] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Michelle A Carmell
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Watson School of Biological Sciences, 1 Bungtown Road, New York 11724, USA
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Carmell MA, Xuan Z, Zhang MQ, Hannon GJ. The Argonaute family: tentacles that reach into RNAi, developmental control, stem cell maintenance, and tumorigenesis. Genes Dev 2002; 16:2733-42. [PMID: 12414724 DOI: 10.1101/gad.1026102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 582] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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