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Stabilization of beta-catenin by genetic defects in melanoma cell lines.

Signal transduction by beta-catenin involves its posttranslational stabilization and downstream coupling to the Lef and Tcf transcription factors. Abnormally high amounts of beta-catenin were detected in 7 of 26 human melanoma cell lines. Unusual messenger RNA splicing and missense mutations in the beta-catenin gene (CTNNB1) that result in stabilization of the protein were identified in six of the lines, and the adenomatous polyposis coli tumor suppressor protein (APC) was altered or missing in two others. In the APC-deficient cells, ectopic expression of wild-type APC eliminated the excess beta-catenin. Cells with stabilized beta-catenin contained a constitutive beta-catenin-Lef-1 complex. Thus, genetic defects that result in up-regulation of beta-catenin may play a role in melanoma progression.

Adenomatous Polyposis Coli Protein↗

Complete nucleotide sequence of the fast skeletal troponin T gene. Alternatively spliced exons exhibit unusual interspecies divergence.

The continuous nucleotide sequence of the rat fast skeletal muscle troponin T gene is reported, complementing the previous determinations of its structural organization and its capacity to encode multiple isoforms via alternative RNA splicing. Canonical promoter elements, as well as consensus sequences that may be involved in the 3' processing of the primary transcript, are present. All exons are flanked by conventional donor and acceptor splice sites, which can hybridize to U1 RNA. Extensive computer-assisted analyses of the genomic sequence do not reveal cis elements that unambiguously distinguish alternative from constitutive exons. Local RNA secondary structures can be predicted, however, that sequester exons or their splice sites in stem-and-loop formations, and which may also pair with small nuclear RNAs. These interactions might, in theory, contribute to differential exon usage. The structural features of exon organization that characterize this rat skeletal gene are closely conserved in the chicken cardiac troponin T gene, but the former exhibits a more diversified capacity for differential splicing. Implications for the mechanisms of alternative RNA splicing are considered. Comparisons of troponin T amino acid sequences among several species reveal striking dissimilarities, in contrast to the otherwise highly conserved contractile proteins. These divergences involve entire peptide subsegments and are concentrated in the same domains as are encoded by alternatively spliced exons, suggesting that exon shuffling may have contributed to the evolution of troponin T.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Autoregulation of the splicing of transcripts from the transformer-2 gene of Drosophila.

The Drosophila transformer-2 gene uses alternative promoters and splicing patterns to generate four different mRNAs that together encode three putative RNA-binding polypeptides. The transformer-2 products expressed in somatic tissues function to regulate the RNA splicing of the sex determination gene doublesex, whereas products expressed in the male germ line play an unknown, but essential, role in spermatogenesis. Two alternatively spliced transformer-2 transcripts, each encoding a different putative RNA-binding protein, are found only in the male germ line. These male germ line-specific mRNAs differ from each other by the presence or absence of a single intron called M1. We show that M1-containing transcripts make up a majority of transformer-2 germ-line transcripts in wild-type males but fail to accumulate in males homozygous for transformer-2 null mutations. Germ-line transformation experiments using a variety of reporter gene constructs demonstrate that specific polypeptide products of the transformer-2 gene itself normally repress M1 splicing in the male germ line. Thus, in addition to its role in the sex-specific control of doublesex RNA splicing in somatic tissues, the transformer-2 gene also regulates the splicing of its own transcripts in the male germ line. We propose that this autoregulatory function may serve in negative feedback control of transformer-2 activity during spermatogenesis. The finding that transformer-2 controls multiple splicing decisions suggests that a variety of different alternative splicing choices could be regulated by a relatively limited number of trans-acting factors.

Animals↗

Primary structure of human nuclear ribonucleoprotein particle C proteins: conservation of sequence and domain structures in heterogeneous nuclear RNA, mRNA, and pre-rRNA-binding proteins.

In the eucaryotic nucleus, heterogeneous nuclear RNAs exist in a complex with a specific set of proteins to form heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein particles (hnRNPs). The C proteins, C1 and C2, are major constituents of hnRNPs and appear to play a role in RNA splicing as suggested by antibody inhibition and immunodepletion experiments. With the use of a previously described partial cDNA clone as a hybridization probe, full-length cDNAs for the human C proteins were isolated. All of the cDNAs isolated hybridized to two poly(A)+ RNAs of 1.9 and 1.4 kilobases (kb). DNA sequencing of a cDNA clone for the 1.9-kb mRNA (pHC12) revealed a single open reading frame of 290 amino acids coding for a protein of 31,931 daltons and two polyadenylation signals, AAUAAA, approximately 400 base pairs apart in the 3' untranslated region of the mRNA. DNA sequencing of a clone corresponding to the 1.4-kb mRNA (pHC5) indicated that the sequence of this mRNA is identical to that of the 1.9-kb mRNA up to the first polyadenylation signal which it uses. Both mRNAs therefore have the same coding capacity and are probably transcribed from a single gene. Translation in vitro of the 1.9-kb mRNA selected by hybridization with a 3'-end subfragment of pHC12 demonstrated that it by itself can direct the synthesis of both C1 and C2. The difference between the C1 and C2 proteins which results in their electrophoretic separation is not known, but most likely one of them is generated from the other posttranslationally. Since several hnRNP proteins appeared by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis as multiple antigenically related polypeptides, this raises the possibility that some of these other groups of hnRNP proteins are also each produced from a single mRNA. The predicted amino acid sequence of the protein indicates that it is composed of two distinct domains: an amino terminus that contains what we have recently described as a RNP consensus sequence, which is the putative RNA-binding site, and a carboxy terminus that is very negatively charged, contains no aromatic amino acids or prolines, and contains a putative nucleoside triphosphate-binding fold, as well as a phosphorylation site for casein kinase type II. The RNP consensus sequence was also found in the yeast poly(A)-binding protein (PABP), the heterogeneous nuclear RNA-binding proteins A1 and A2, and the pre-rRNA binding protein C23. All of these proteins are also composed of at least two distinct domains: an amino terminus, which possesses one or more RNP consensus sequences, and a carboxy terminus, which is unique to each protein, being very acidic in the C proteins and rich in glycine in A1, and C23 and rich in proline in the poly(A)-binding protein. These findings suggest that the amino terminus of these proteins possesses a highly conserved RNA-binding domain, whereas the carboxy terminus contains a region essential to the unique function and interactions of each of the RNA-binding proteins.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Molecular and biochemical characterization of xrs mutants defective in Ku80.

The gene product defective in radiosensitive CHO mutants belonging to ionizing radiation complementation group 5, which includes the extensively studied xrs mutants, has recently been identified as Ku80, a subunit of the Ku protein and a component of DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK). Several group 5 mutants, including xrs-5 and -6, lack double-stranded DNA end-binding and DNA-PK activities. In this study, we examined additional xrs mutants at the molecular and biochemical levels. All mutants examined have low or undetectable levels of Ku70 and Ku80 protein, end-binding, and DNA-PK activities. Only one mutant, xrs-6, has Ku80 transcript levels detectable by Northern hybridization, but Ku80 mRNA was detectable by reverse transcription-PCR in most other mutants. Two mutants, xrs-4 and -6, have altered Ku80 transcripts resulting from mutational changes in the genomic Ku80 sequence affecting RNA splicing, indicating that the defects in these mutants lie in the Ku80 gene rather than a gene controlling its expression. Neither of these two mutants has detectable wild-type Ku80 transcript. Since the mutation in both xrs-4 and xrs-6 cells results in severely truncated Ku80 protein, both are likely candidates to be null mutants. Azacytidine-induced revertants of xrs-4 and -6 carried both wild-type and mutant transcripts. The results with these revertants strongly support our model proposed earlier, that CHO-K1 cells carry a copy of the Ku80 gene (XRCC5) silenced by hypermethylation. Site-directed mutagenesis studies indicate that previously proposed ATP-binding and phosphorylation sites are not required for Ku80 activity, whereas N-terminal deletions of more than the first seven amino acids result in severe loss of activities.

Animals↗

A Gln747-->Pro substitution in the IIb subunit is responsible for a moderate IIbbeta3 deficiency in Glanzmann thrombasthenia.

To clarify a molecular defect responsible for moderate alphaIIb beta3 deficiency, we examined two unrelated patients, MT and MS, suffering from type II and type I Glanzmann thrombasthenia (GT), respectively. Sequence analysis of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) fragments derived from platelet mRNA showed a single A-->C substitution at nucleotide (nt) 2334 leading to a Gln747--> Pro in alphaIIb in both patients. Allele-specific restriction enzyme analysis (ASRA) of genomic DNA demonstrated that patient MT was homozygous for the Gln747-->Pro substitution and patient MS was compound heterozygous for this substitution and for an RNA splice mutation at the consensus sequence of the splice acceptor site of exon 18 (AG-->AA). Furthermore, ASRA showed that, among 17 unrelated Japanese GT patients, this Gln747-->Pro substitution was detected in 4 patients, including MT and MS (homozygous, 2 patients; heterozygous, 2 patients). Cotransfection of Pro747alphaIIb and beta3 constructs into 293 cells resulted in moderate reduction in the amount of alphaIIb beta3 within the transfected cells as well as on the cell surface. However, Pro747alphaIIb beta3 bound the ligand mimetic monoclonal antibody (MoAb) PAC-1 after activation of alphaIIb beta3 by the MoAb PT25-2, suggesting that the mutant alphaIIb beta3 possesses the ligand-binding function. The association between the mutant proalphaIIb and beta3 was not disturbed. Surface labeling and pulse chase study showed that the Gln747-->Pro substitution moderately impaired both intracellular transport of the alphaIIb beta3 heterodimers to the Golgi apparatus and endoproteolytic cleavage of proalphaIIb into heavy and light chains. By contrast, replacement of Gln747 with Ala by mutagenesis did not impair alphaIIbbeta3 expression on the cell surface. These results suggest that the presence of Pro, rather than the absence of Gln, at amino acid residue 747 on alphaIIb is responsible for moderate alphaIIbbeta3 deficiency.

Alleles↗

Localization of the mRNAs for two dopamine D2 receptor isoforms in the rat brain.

Two molecular forms of the dopamine D2 receptor were generated by alternative RNA splicing. To investigate the relative distributions of the two mRNAs encoding the D2 receptor isoforms, D2(415) and D2(444), we performed in situ hybridization histochemistry in the rat brain with the two oligonucleotide probes. An insert probe complementary to an additional fragment of the D2 receptor mRNA cloned from the rat brain, and a spanning probe complementary to its contiguous sequence were used. These 48 base probes were 3'-end labeled with [35S]dATP. The brains were dissected from male SD rats and frozen in dry ice and acetone. Cryostat sections (16 microns) were collected on gelatin coated slides and stored at -20 degrees C. In situ hybridization studies were conducted with a probe concentration of 1 x 10(6) dpm/100 microliters of buffer per brain slice at 37 degrees C for 18-20 h in a humid chamber. The slides were washed, dried and exposed to tritium sensitive film for one week. The autoradiograph showed that both mRNA were present at high levels in the corpus striatum, accumbens nucleus and substantia nigra (pars compacta). Identical patterns of labeling were obtained in the rat brain using both the insert and spanning probes, although the optical densities detected with the insert probe were higher than those with the spanning probe in the corpus striatum. This suggests that both D2 receptor mRNAs are expressed similarly in each region of the rat brain and D2(444) expressed dominantly in the corpus striatum.

Animals↗

The Tetrahymena rRNA intron self-splices in E. coli: in vivo evidence for the importance of key base-paired regions of RNA for RNA enzyme function.

We have developed an in vivo RNA splicing assay for the self-splicing rRNA intron of Tetrahymena thermophila using E. coli as the host. A DNA fragment containing the intron sequence has been cloned into M13mp83 so that expression of the beta-galactosidase alpha-fragment is dependent upon intron excision from the mRNA precursor. Plaque phenotypes correlate well with levels of excised intron RNA. Point mutations were made by oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis in conserved sequences P, Q, and S. All showed reduced splicing, agreeing with mitochondrial genetic data for S and providing the first direct evidence that P and Q are functionally important. The results support the hypothesis that base-pairing of R with S and P with Q is important for intron structure and function.

Base Composition↗

Commitment of apolipoprotein B RNA to the splicing pathway regulates cytidine-to-uridine editing-site utilization.

A tripartite motif located in the centre of the 7.5 kb exon 26 of apolipoprotein B (apoB) mRNA directs editosome assembly and site-specific cytidine-to-uridine editing at nucleotide 6666. apoB mRNA editing is a post-transcriptional event, occurring primarily at the time exon 26 is spliced or at a time after splicing, but before nuclear export. We show, through reporter RNA constructs, that RNA splice sites suppress editing of precursor RNAs when placed proximal or distal to the editing site. Processed RNAs were edited more efficiently than precursor RNAs. Mutation of both the splice donor and acceptor sites was necessary for RNAs to be edited efficiently. The results suggested that commitment of pre-mRNA to the splicing and/or nuclear-export pathways may play a role in regulating editing-site utilization. The HIV-1 Rev-Rev response element ('RRE') interaction was utilized to uncouple the commitment of precursor RNAs to the spliceosome assembly pathway and associated nuclear-export pathway. Under these conditions, unspliced reporter RNAs were edited efficiently. We propose that pre-mRNA passage through the temporal or spatial restriction point where they become committed to spliceosome assembly contributes regulatory information for subsequent editosome activity.

Animals↗

A molecular orbital study of a model of the Mg2+ coordination complex of the self splicing reaction of ribosomal RNA.

Recent discoveries have established the fact that RNA is capable of acting as an enzyme. In this study two different types of molecular orbital calculations, INDO and ab initio, were used in an attempt to assess the structural/functional role of the Mg2+ hydrated complex in ribozyme reactions. Preliminary studies indicate that the reaction is multistep and that the Mg2+ complex exerts a stabilizing effect on the intermediate or midpoint of the reaction.

Magnesium Compounds↗

On the evolution of RNA editing.

The term 'RNA editing' encompasses a variety of processes that change the primary nucleotide sequence of an RNA transcript from that of its encoding DNA. As in the case of certain other molecular genetic phenomena, for example RNA splicing, the discovery of RNA editing presented molecular biologists with an evolutionary puzzle, since the existence of RNA editing offers no obvious selective advantage. A three-step model for the evolution of RNA editing is proposed, based on the co-evolution of editing activity and editing sites, with genetic drift as an important component. The implications of this model for the known forms of RNA editing are discussed.

Animals↗

Genome architecture drives protein evolution in ciliates.

Studies of microbial eukaryotes have been pivotal in the discovery of biological phenomena, including RNA editing, self-splicing RNA, and telomere addition. Here we extend this list by demonstrating that genome architecture, namely the extensive processing of somatic (macronuclear) genomes in some ciliate lineages, is associated with elevated rates of protein evolution. Using newly developed likelihood-based procedures for studying molecular evolution, we investigate 6 genes to compare 1) ciliate protein evolution to that of 3 other clades of eukaryotes (plants, animals, and fungi) and 2) protein evolution in ciliates with extensively processed macronuclear genomes to that of other ciliate lineages. In 5 of the 6 genes, ciliates are estimated to have a higher ratio of nonsynonymous/synonymous substitution rates, consistent with an increase in the rate of protein diversification in ciliates relative to other eukaryotes. Even more striking, there is a significant effect of genome architecture within ciliates as the most divergent proteins are consistently found in those lineages with the most highly processed macronuclear genomes. We propose a model whereby genome architecture-specifically chromosomal processing, amitosis within macronuclei, and epigenetics-allows ciliates to explore protein space in a novel manner. Further, we predict that examination of diverse eukaryotes will reveal additional evidence of the impact of genome architecture on molecular evolution.

Animals↗

A software tool-box for analysis of regulatory RNA elements.

We describe an integrated tool-box to identify regulatory RNA elements. The RNA analyzer collects general and specific information on any submitted RNA sequence or batch of sequences in FASTA format. It determines and rapidly scans the different regions of an RNA (including 5' UTR, CDS, 3' UTR in mRNA) and screens for specific RNA signals (in each of these regions, e.g. polyA-site, AU rich region etc. in 3' UTR). It runs a fast folding RNA routine to provide an overview of the RNA fold. Furthermore it analyzes structure content, fold energy and stem loops. In addition, consensus templates are used to determine whether there are any functional structures present for translational control (template: IRE), structured RNA (template: tRNA consensus) or catalytic RNA (template: trans-splicing RNA), giving indications as to how well the structures found match to these templates. The tool box has been implemented as a WWW server at http://wb2x01.biozentrum.uni-wuerzburg.de/.

Internet↗

Alternative pre-mRNA Splicing and Gene Expression Patterns in Midbrain Lineage Cells Carrying Familial Parkinson's Disease Mutations.

Parkinson's disease (PD) arises from genetic and environmental factors. Human genetics has identified mutations in ~20 inherited familial genes linked to monogenic forms of PD. To investigate the effects of individual familial PD mutations, human pluripotent embryonic stem cells (hPSCs) carrying 12 distinct familial PD mutations were differentiated into midbrain lineage cells, including dopaminergic (mDA) neurons. Global gene expression and pre-mRNA splicing patterns were analyzed in midbrain cultures carrying pathogenic PD mutations in the PRKN, SNCA, LRRK2, PINK1, DNAJC6, FBXO7, SYNJ1, DJ1, VPS13C, ATP13A2 and GBA1 genes. This analysis revealed that these familial PD mutations lead to pre-mRNA splicing changes linked to RNA splicing factors and to pathways controlling cell projections, cytoskeleton, GTPase regulation and others. Importantly, we have also shown that subsets of these splicing changes overlap with changes found in PD patient postmortem brains. Mutation-specific pre-mRNA isoforms may function as both diagnostic biomarkers for familial PD-associated genotypes and promising therapeutic targets.

Journal Article↗

RNA encoded by the IR1-U2 region of Epstein-Barr virus DNA in latently infected, growth-transformed cells.

The IR1-U2 region of Epstein-Barr virus DNA consists of multiple copies of a 3.1-kilobase (kb) repeat sequence, IR1, which maps to the left of a 3.3-kb unique region, U2. Although hybridizations of cytoplasmic polyadenylated RNA from latently infected cells to viral DNA indicate that the IR1-U2 region encodes a substantial fraction of the viral RNA in these cells, only a single low-abundance 3-kb cytoplasmic polyadenylated RNA has been identified on Northern blots. Further analysis of the cytoplasmic polyadenylated RNA encoded by the IR1-U2 region indicates that (i) the RNA is transcribed from left to right; (ii) there are only three copies of the 3-kb RNA per cell; and (iii) the RNA is spliced. The RNA hybridizes to possibly contiguous 0.56- and 1.3-kb U2 domains. These domains and part of IR1 hybridize to the 3-kb cytoplasmic RNA. DNA between IR1 and the 0.56-kb U2 domain does not hybridize to the 3-kb RNA. The CCAAT-34 nucleotide-TATAA sequence in IR1 may be part of the promotor for the 3-kb cytoplasmic polyadenylated RNA since (i) it enables left-to-right transcription of IR1 by a HeLa cell extract, and (ii) latently infected cells contain giant polyadenylated nuclear RNAs which differ in size by 3 kb, as would be expected if transcription initiates in any copy of IR1 and continues through the rightward remaining copies into U2.

Cell Line↗

Spliceosome-mediated RNA trans-splicing as a tool for gene therapy.

We have developed RNA molecules capable of effecting spliceosome-mediated RNA trans-splicing reactions with a target messenger RNA precursor (pre-mRNA). Targeted trans-splicing was demonstrated in a HeLa nuclear extract, cultured human cells, and H1299 human lung cancer tumors in athymic mice. Trans-splicing between a cancer-associated pre-mRNA encoding the beta-subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin gene 6 and pre-trans-splicing molecule (PTM) RNA was accurate both in vitro and in vivo. Comparison of targeted versus nontargeted trans-splicing revealed a moderate level of specificity, which was improved by the addition of an internal inverted repeat encompassing the PTM splice site. Competition between cis- and trans-splicing demonstrated that cis-splicing can be inhibited by trans-splicing. RNA repair in a splicing model of a nonfunctional lacZ transcript was effected in cells by a PTM, which restored significant beta-galactosidase activity. These observations suggest that spliceosome-mediated RNA trans-splicing may represent a general approach for reprogramming the sequence of targeted transcripts, providing a novel approach to gene therapy.

Animals↗