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Fan S, Sun W, Fan L, Wu N, Sun W, Ma H, Chen S, Li Z, Li Y, Zhang J, Yan J. The highly conserved RNA-binding specificity of nucleocapsid protein facilitates the identification of drugs with broad anti-coronavirus activity. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2022; 20:5040-5044. [PMID: 36097552 PMCID: PMC9454191 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2022.09.007] [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: 08/03/2022] [Revised: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The binding of SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (N) protein to both the 5′- and 3′-ends of genomic RNA has different implications arising from its binding to the central region during virion assembly. However, the mechanism underlying selective binding remains unknown. Herein, we performed the high-throughput RNA-SELEX (HTR-SELEX) to determine the RNA-binding specificity of the N proteins of various SARS-CoV-2 variants as well as other β-coronaviruses and showed that N proteins could bind two unrelated sequences, both of which were highly conserved across all variants and species. Interestingly, both sequences are virtually absent from the human transcriptome; however, they exhibit a highly enriched, mutually complementary distribution in the coronavirus genome, highlighting their varied functions in genome packaging. Our results provide mechanistic insights into viral genome packaging, thereby increasing the feasibility of developing drugs with broad-spectrum anti-coronavirus activity by targeting RNA binding by N proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaorong Fan
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education and Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology, School of Medicine, Northwest University, Xi'an, China.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, The Tung Biomedical Sciences Centre, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - Wenju Sun
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education and Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology, School of Medicine, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Ligang Fan
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education and Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology, School of Medicine, Northwest University, Xi'an, China.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, The Tung Biomedical Sciences Centre, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.,Department of Precision Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology, The City University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Futian Research Institute, Shenzhen, China
| | - Nan Wu
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education and Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology, School of Medicine, Northwest University, Xi'an, China.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, The Tung Biomedical Sciences Centre, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - Wei Sun
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education and Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology, School of Medicine, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Haiqian Ma
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education and Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology, School of Medicine, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Siyuan Chen
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Sha Tin, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - Zitong Li
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Sha Tin, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - Yu Li
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Sha Tin, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - Jilin Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, The Tung Biomedical Sciences Centre, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - Jian Yan
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education and Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology, School of Medicine, Northwest University, Xi'an, China.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, The Tung Biomedical Sciences Centre, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.,Department of Precision Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology, The City University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Futian Research Institute, Shenzhen, China
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Müller M, Schauer T, Becker PB. Identification of Intrinsic RNA Binding Specificity of Purified Proteins by in vitro RNA Immunoprecipitation (vitRIP). Bio Protoc 2021; 11:e3946. [PMID: 33796620 DOI: 10.21769/bioprotoc.3946] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2020] [Revised: 01/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA-protein interactions are often mediated by dedicated canonical RNA binding domains. However, interactions through non-canonical domains with unknown specificity are increasingly observed, raising the question how RNA targets are recognized. Knowledge of the intrinsic RNA binding specificity contributes to the understanding of target selectivity and function of an individual protein. The presented in vitro RNA immunoprecipitation assay (vitRIP) uncovers intrinsic RNA binding specificities of isolated proteins using the total cellular RNA pool as a library. Total RNA extracted from cells or tissues is incubated with purified recombinant proteins, RNA-protein complexes are immunoprecipitated and bound transcripts are identified by deep sequencing or quantitative RT-PCR. Enriched RNA classes and the nucleotide frequency in these RNAs inform on the intrinsic specificity of the recombinant protein. The simple and versatile protocol can be adapted to other RNA binding proteins and total RNA libraries from any cell type or tissue. Graphic abstract: Figure 1. Schematic of the in vitro RNA immunoprecipitation (vitRIP) protocol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marisa Müller
- Molecular Biology Division, Biomedical Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Tamas Schauer
- Molecular Biology Division, Biomedical Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany.,Bioinformatics Unit, Biomedical Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Peter B Becker
- Molecular Biology Division, Biomedical Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
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Wang X, Goodrich KJ, Gooding AR, Naeem H, Archer S, Paucek RD, Youmans DT, Cech TR, Davidovich C. Targeting of Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 to RNA by Short Repeats of Consecutive Guanines. Mol Cell 2017; 65:1056-1067.e5. [PMID: 28306504 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2017.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 146] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.9] [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: 08/23/2016] [Revised: 12/20/2016] [Accepted: 02/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) is a histone methyltransferase that trimethylates H3K27, a mark of repressed chromatin. Mammalian PRC2 binds RNA promiscuously, with thousands of target transcripts in vivo. But what does PRC2 recognize in these RNAs? Here we show that purified human PRC2 recognizes G > C,U ≫ A in single-stranded RNA and has a high affinity for folded guanine quadruplex (G4) structures but little binding to duplex RNAs. Importantly, G-tract motifs are significantly enriched among PRC2-binding transcripts in vivo. DNA sequences coding for PRC2-binding RNA motifs are enriched at PRC2-binding sites on chromatin and H3K27me3-modified nucleosomes. Collectively, the abundance of PRC2-binding RNA motifs rationalizes the promiscuous RNA binding of PRC2, and their enrichment at Polycomb target genes provides a means for RNA-mediated regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueyin Wang
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, BioFrontiers Institute and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Colorado, Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Karen J Goodrich
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, BioFrontiers Institute and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Colorado, Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Anne R Gooding
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, BioFrontiers Institute and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Colorado, Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Haroon Naeem
- Monash Bioinformatics Platform, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia; Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Stuart Archer
- Monash Bioinformatics Platform, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia; Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Richard D Paucek
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, BioFrontiers Institute and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Colorado, Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Daniel T Youmans
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, BioFrontiers Institute and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Colorado, Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA; University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Thomas R Cech
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, BioFrontiers Institute and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Colorado, Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA.
| | - Chen Davidovich
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia; EMBL-Australia and the ARC Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia.
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Abstract
The transcription factor VP30 of the non-segmented RNA negative strand Ebola virus balances viral transcription and replication. Here, we comprehensively studied RNA binding by VP30. Using a novel VP30:RNA electrophoretic mobility shift assay, we tested truncated variants of 2 potential natural RNA substrates of VP30 - the genomic Ebola viral 3'-leader region and its complementary antigenomic counterpart (each ∼155 nt in length) - and a series of other non-viral RNAs. Based on oligonucleotide interference, the major VP30 binding region on the genomic 3'-leader substrate was assigned to the internal expanded single-stranded region (∼ nt 125-80). Best binding to VP30 was obtained with ssRNAs of optimally ∼ 40 nt and mixed base composition; underrepresentation of purines or pyrimidines was tolerated, but homopolymeric sequences impaired binding. A stem-loop structure, particularly at the 3'-end or positioned internally, supports stable binding to VP30. In contrast, dsRNA or RNAs exposing large internal loops flanked by entirely helical arms on both sides are not bound. Introduction of a 5´-Cap(0) structure impaired VP30 binding. Also, ssDNAs bind substantially weaker than isosequential ssRNAs and heparin competes with RNA for binding to VP30, indicating that ribose 2'-hydroxyls and electrostatic contacts of the phosphate groups contribute to the formation of VP30:RNA complexes. Our results indicate a rather relaxed RNA binding specificity of filoviral VP30, which largely differs from that of the functionally related transcription factor of the Paramyxoviridae which binds to ssRNAs as short as 13 nt with a preference for oligo(A) sequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Schlereth
- a Institut für Pharmazeutische Chemie, Philipps-Universität Marburg , Marburg , Germany
| | - Arnold Grünweller
- a Institut für Pharmazeutische Chemie, Philipps-Universität Marburg , Marburg , Germany
| | - Nadine Biedenkopf
- b Institut für Virologie, Philipps-Universität Marburg , Marburg , Germany
| | - Stephan Becker
- b Institut für Virologie, Philipps-Universität Marburg , Marburg , Germany
| | - Roland K Hartmann
- a Institut für Pharmazeutische Chemie, Philipps-Universität Marburg , Marburg , Germany
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