Intronic microRNAs: a crossroad in gene regulation

2012 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
pp. 759-761 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalia Gromak

Most human genes transcribed by RNA Pol II (polymerase II) contain short exons separated by long tracts of non-coding intronic sequences. In addition to their role in generating proteomic diversity through the process of alternative splicing, intronic sequences host many ncRNAs (non-coding RNAs), involved in various gene regulation processes. miRNAs (microRNAs) are short ncRNAs that mediate either mRNA transcript translational repression and/or degradation. Between 50 and 80% of miRNAs are encoded within introns of host mRNA genes. This observation suggests that there is co-regulation between the miRNA biogenesis and pre-mRNA splicing processes. The present review summarizes current advances in this field and discusses possible roles for intronic co-transcriptional cleavage events in the regulation of human gene expression.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yubo Cheng ◽  
Babita Gollen ◽  
Luke Saville ◽  
Christopher Isaac ◽  
Jogender Mehla ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTMore than 97% of the mammalian genome is non-protein coding, and repetitive elements account for more than 50% of noncoding space. However, the functional importance of many non-coding RNAs generated by these elements and their connection with pathologic processes remains elusive. We have previously shown that B2 RNAs, a class of non-coding RNAs that belong to the B2 family of SINE repeats, mediate the transcriptional activation of stress response genes (SRGs) upon application of a stimulus. Notably, B2 RNAs bind RNA Polymerase II (RNA Pol II) and suppress SRG transcription during pro-stimulation state. Upon application of a stimulus, B2 RNAs are processed into fragments and degraded, which in turn releases RNA Pol II from suppression and upregulates SRGs. Here, we demonstrate a novel role for B2 RNAs in transcriptome response to amyloid beta toxicity and pathology in the mouse hippocampus. In healthy hippocampi, activation of SRGs is followed by a transient upregulation of pro-apoptotic factors, such as p53 and miRNA-34c, which target SRGs creating a negative feedback loop that facilitates transition to the pro-stimulation state. Using an integrative RNA genomics approach, we show that in mouse hippocampi of an amyloid precursor protein knock-in mouse model and in an in vitro cell culture model of amyloid beta toxicity, this regulatory loop is dysfunctional due to increased levels of B2 RNA processing, constitutively elevated SRG expression and high p53 levels. Evidence indicates that Hsf1, a master regulator of stress response, mediates B2 RNA processing in cells, and is upregulated during amyloid toxicity accelerating the processing of SINE RNAs and SRG hyper-activation. Our study reveals that in mouse, SINE RNAs constitute a novel pathway deregulated in amyloid beta pathology, with potential implications for similar cases in the human brain, such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). This data attributes a role to SINE RNA processing in a pathological process as well as a new function to Hsf1 that is independent of its transcription factor activity.


PeerJ ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. e1763 ◽  
Author(s):  
Umberto Rosani ◽  
Alberto Pallavicini ◽  
Paola Venier

Small non-coding RNAs include powerful regulators of gene expression, transposon mobility and virus activity. Among the various categories, mature microRNAs (miRNAs) guide the translational repression and decay of several targeted mRNAs. The biogenesis of miRNAs depends on few gene products, essentially conserved from basal to higher metazoans, whose protein domains allow specific interactions with dsRNA. Here, we report the identification of key genes responsible of the miRNA biogenesis in 32 bivalves, with particular attention to the aquaculture speciesMytilus galloprovincialisandCrassostrea gigas. In detail, we have identified and phylogenetically compared eight evolutionary conserved proteins: DROSHA, DGCR8, EXP5, RAN, DICER TARBP2, AGO and PIWI. In mussels, we recognized several other proteins participating in the miRNA biogenesis or in the subsequent RNA silencing. According to digital expression analysis, these genes display low and not inducible expression levels in adult mussels and oysters whereas they are considerably expressed during development. As miRNAs play an important role also in the antiviral responses, knowledge on their production and regulative effects can shed light on essential molecular processes and provide new hints for disease prevention in bivalves.


2003 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 1043-1057 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kannanganattu V. Prasanth ◽  
Paula A. Sacco-Bubulya ◽  
Supriya G. Prasanth ◽  
David L. Spector

In eukaryotic cells, RNA polymerase II (RNA pol II) transcription and pre-mRNA processing are coordinated events. We have addressed how individual components of the transcription and pre-mRNA processing machinery are organized during mitosis and subsequently recruited into the newly formed daughter nuclei. Interestingly, localization studies of numerous RNA pol II transcription and pre-mRNA processing factors revealed a nonrandom and sequential entry of these factors into daughter nuclei after nuclear envelope/lamina formation. The initiation competent form of RNA pol II and general transcription factors appeared in the daughter nuclei simultaneously, but prior to pre-mRNA processing factors, whereas the elongation competent form of RNA pol II was detected even later. The differential entry of these factors rules out the possibility that they are transported as a unitary complex. Telophase nuclei were competent for transcription and pre-mRNA splicing concomitant with the initial entry of the respective factors. In addition, our results revealed a low turnover rate of transcription and pre-mRNA splicing factors during mitosis. We provide evidence to support a model in which the entry of the RNA pol II gene expression machinery into newly forming daughter nuclei is a staged and ordered process.


Open Biology ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
pp. 170073 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joana Guiro ◽  
Shona Murphy

In addition to protein-coding genes, RNA polymerase II (pol II) transcribes numerous genes for non-coding RNAs, including the small-nuclear (sn)RNA genes. snRNAs are an important class of non-coding RNAs, several of which are involved in pre-mRNA splicing. The molecular mechanisms underlying expression of human pol II-transcribed snRNA genes are less well characterized than for protein-coding genes and there are important differences in expression of these two gene types. Here, we review the DNA features and proteins required for efficient transcription of snRNA genes and co-transcriptional 3′ end formation of the transcripts.


eLife ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel R Fuentes ◽  
Tomek Swigut ◽  
Joanna Wysocka

Recent work suggests extensive adaptation of transposable elements (TEs) for host gene regulation. However, high numbers of integrations typical of TEs, coupled with sequence divergence within families, have made systematic interrogation of the regulatory contributions of TEs challenging. Here, we employ CARGO, our recent method for CRISPR gRNA multiplexing, to facilitate targeting of LTR5HS, an ape-specific class of HERVK (HML-2) LTRs that is active during early development and present in ~700 copies throughout the human genome. We combine CARGO with CRISPR activation or interference to, respectively, induce or silence LTR5HS en masse, and demonstrate that this system robustly targets the vast majority of LTR5HS insertions. Remarkably, activation/silencing of LTR5HS is associated with reciprocal up- and down-regulation of hundreds of human genes. These effects require the presence of retroviral sequences, but occur over long genomic distances, consistent with a pervasive function of LTR5HS elements as early embryonic enhancers in apes.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susheel Sagar Bhat ◽  
Dawid Bielewicz ◽  
Natalia Grzelak ◽  
Tomasz Gulanicz ◽  
Zsuzsanna Bodi ◽  
...  

Abstractm6A, one of the most abundant mRNA modifications, has been associated with various metabolic processes in plants. Here we show that m6A also plays a role in miRNA biogenesis in Arabidopsis thaliana. Significant reductions in plant m6A/MTA levels results in lower accumulation of miRNAs whereas pri-miRNA levels tend to be higher in such plants. m6A-IP Seq and MTA-GFP RIP were used to show that many pri-miRNAs are m6A methylated and are bound by MTA, further demonstrating that pri-miRNAs can also be substrates for m6A methylation by MTA. We report that MTA interacts with RNA Pol II, supporting the assumption that m6A methylation is a co-transcriptional process, and also identify TGH, a known miRNA biogenesis related protein, as a novel protein that interacts with MTA. Finally, reduced levels of miR393b may partially explain the strong auxin insensitivity seen in Arabidopsis plants with reduced m6A levels.


IUBMB Life ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 55 (4-5) ◽  
pp. 235-241 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manuel de la Mata ◽  
Juan Pablo Fededa ◽  
Matías Blaustein ◽  
Anabella Srebrow ◽  
Alberto Kornblihtt ◽  
...  
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