scholarly journals Hexanucleotide motifs mediate recruitment of the RNA elimination machinery to silent meiotic genes

Open Biology ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 120014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Akira Yamashita ◽  
Yuichi Shichino ◽  
Hirotsugu Tanaka ◽  
Edwige Hiriart ◽  
Leila Touat-Todeschini ◽  
...  

The selective elimination system blocks the accumulation of meiosis-specific mRNAs during the mitotic cell cycle in fission yeast. These mRNAs harbour a region, the determinant of selective removal (DSR), which is recognized by a YTH-family RNA-binding protein, Mmi1. Mmi1 directs target transcripts to destruction in association with nuclear exosomes. Hence, the interaction between DSR and Mmi1 is crucial to discriminate mitosis from meiosis. Here, we show that Mmi1 interacts with repeats of the hexanucleotide U(U/C)AAAC that are enriched in the DSR. Disruption of this ‘DSR core motif’ in a target mRNA inhibits its elimination. Tandem repeats of the motif can function as an artificial DSR. Mmi1 binds to it in vitro . Thus, a core motif cluster is responsible for the DSR activity. Furthermore, certain variant hexanucleotide motifs can augment the function of the DSR core motif. Notably, meiRNA, which composes the nuclear Mei2 dot required to suppress Mmi1 activity during meiosis, carries numerous copies of the core/augmenting motifs on its tail and is indeed degraded by the Mmi1/exosome system, indicating its likely role as decoy bait for Mmi1.

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anastasiia Samsonova ◽  
Krystel El Hage ◽  
Bénédicte Desforges ◽  
Vandana Joshi ◽  
Marie-Jeanne Clément ◽  
...  

AbstractThe RNA-binding protein Lin28 (Lin28a) is an important pluripotency factor that reprograms translation and promotes cancer progression. Although Lin28 blocks let-7 microRNA maturation, Lin28 also binds to a large set of cytoplasmic mRNAs directly. However, how Lin28 regulates the processing of many mRNAs to reprogram global translation remains unknown. We show here, using a structural and cellular approach, a mixing of Lin28 with YB-1 (YBX1) in the presence of mRNA owing to their cold-shock domain, a conserved β-barrel structure that binds to ssRNA cooperatively. In contrast, the other RNA binding-proteins without cold-shock domains tested, HuR, G3BP-1, FUS and LARP-6, did not mix with YB-1. Given that YB-1 is the core component of dormant mRNPs, a model in which Lin28 gains access to mRNPs through its co-association with YB-1 to mRNA may provide a means for Lin28 to reprogram translation. We anticipate that the translational plasticity provided by mRNPs may contribute to Lin28 functions in development and adaptation of cancer cells to an adverse environment.


1985 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 586-590
Author(s):  
A M Francoeur ◽  
E K Chan ◽  
J I Garrels ◽  
M B Mathews

HeLa cell La antigen, an RNA-binding protein, was characterized by using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Eight isoelectric forms (pI 6 to 7) were observed, many containing phosphate. An in vitro translation product similar in size and antigenicity was identified. The HeLa cell protein purified by using an assay based on ribonucleoprotein reconstitution with adenovirus VA RNAI also comprised several isoelectric forms.


1999 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 2400-2407 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rong Yang ◽  
Carsten Müller ◽  
Vong Huynh ◽  
Yuen K. Fung ◽  
Amy S. Yee ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Human cyclin A1, a newly discovered cyclin, is expressed in testis and is thought to function in the meiotic cell cycle. Here, we show that the expression of human cyclin A1 and cyclin A1-associated kinase activities was regulated during the mitotic cell cycle. In the osteosarcoma cell line MG63, cyclin A1 mRNA and protein were present at very low levels in cells at the G0 phase. They increased during the progression of the cell cycle and reached the highest levels in the S and G2/M phases. Furthermore, the cyclin A1-associated histone H1 kinase activity peaked at the G2/M phase. We report that cyclin A1 could bind to important cell cycle regulators: the Rb family of proteins, the transcription factor E2F-1, and the p21 family of proteins. The in vitro interaction of cyclin A1 with E2F-1 was greatly enhanced when cyclin A1 was complexed with CDK2. Associations of cyclin A1 with Rb and E2F-1 were observed in vivo in several cell lines. When cyclin A1 was coexpressed with CDK2 in sf9 insect cells, the CDK2-cyclin A1 complex had kinase activities for histone H1, E2F-1, and the Rb family of proteins. Our results suggest that the Rb family of proteins and E2F-1 may be important targets for phosphorylation by the cyclin A1-associated kinase. Cyclin A1 may function in the mitotic cell cycle in certain cells.


2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (9) ◽  
pp. e1009931
Author(s):  
Jorge Vera-Otarola ◽  
Estefania Castillo-Vargas ◽  
Jenniffer Angulo ◽  
Francisco M. Barriga ◽  
Eduard Batlle ◽  
...  

The capped Small segment mRNA (SmRNA) of the Andes orthohantavirus (ANDV) lacks a poly(A) tail. In this study, we characterize the mechanism driving ANDV-SmRNA translation. Results show that the ANDV-nucleocapsid protein (ANDV-N) promotes in vitro translation from capped mRNAs without replacing eukaryotic initiation factor (eIF) 4G. Using an RNA affinity chromatography approach followed by mass spectrometry, we identify the human RNA chaperone Mex3A (hMex3A) as a SmRNA-3’UTR binding protein. Results show that hMex3A enhances SmRNA translation in a 3’UTR dependent manner, either alone or when co-expressed with the ANDV-N. The ANDV-N and hMex3A proteins do not interact in cells, but both proteins interact with eIF4G. The hMex3A–eIF4G interaction showed to be independent of ANDV-infection or ANDV-N expression. Together, our observations suggest that translation of the ANDV SmRNA is enhanced by a 5’-3’ end interaction, mediated by both viral and cellular proteins.


2021 ◽  
Vol 118 (23) ◽  
pp. e2104650118
Author(s):  
Jessica Cannavino ◽  
Mengle Shao ◽  
Yu A. An ◽  
Svetlana Bezprozvannaya ◽  
Shiuhwei Chen ◽  
...  

Homeothermic vertebrates produce heat in cold environments through thermogenesis, in which brown adipose tissue (BAT) increases mitochondrial oxidation along with uncoupling of the electron transport chain and activation of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1). Although the transcription factors regulating the expression of UCP1 and nutrient oxidation genes have been extensively studied, only a few other proteins essential for BAT function have been identified. We describe the discovery of FAM195A, a BAT-enriched RNA binding protein, which is required for cold-dependent thermogenesis in mice. FAM195A knockout (KO) mice display whitening of BAT and an inability to thermoregulate. In BAT of FAM195A KO mice, enzymes involved in branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) metabolism are down-regulated, impairing their response to cold. Knockdown of FAM195A in brown adipocytes in vitro also impairs expression of leucine oxidation enzymes, revealing FAM195A to be a regulator of BCAA metabolism and a potential target for metabolic disorders.


2021 ◽  
Vol 118 (9) ◽  
pp. e2014188118
Author(s):  
Peter E. A. Ash ◽  
Shuwen Lei ◽  
Jenifer Shattuck ◽  
Samantha Boudeau ◽  
Yari Carlomagno ◽  
...  

Tau protein plays an important role in the biology of stress granules and in the stress response of neurons, but the nature of these biochemical interactions is not known. Here we show that the interaction of tau with RNA and the RNA binding protein TIA1 is sufficient to drive phase separation of tau at physiological concentrations, without the requirement for artificial crowding agents such as polyethylene glycol (PEG). We further show that phase separation of tau in the presence of RNA and TIA1 generates abundant tau oligomers. Prior studies indicate that recombinant tau readily forms oligomers and fibrils in vitro in the presence of polyanionic agents, including RNA, but the resulting tau aggregates are not particularly toxic. We discover that tau oligomers generated during copartitioning with TIA1 are significantly more toxic than tau aggregates generated by incubation with RNA alone or phase-separated tau complexes generated by incubation with artificial crowding agents. This pathway identifies a potentially important source for generation of toxic tau oligomers in tau-related neurodegenerative diseases. Our results also reveal a general principle that phase-separated RBP droplets provide a vehicle for coassortment of selected proteins. Tau selectively copartitions with TIA1 under physiological conditions, emphasizing the importance of TIA1 for tau biology. Other RBPs, such as G3BP1, are able to copartition with tau, but this happens only in the presence of crowding agents. This type of selective mixing might provide a basis through which membraneless organelles bring together functionally relevant proteins to promote particular biological activities.


2006 ◽  
Vol 17 (8) ◽  
pp. 3521-3533 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda D. Kosturko ◽  
Michael J. Maggipinto ◽  
George Korza ◽  
Joo Won Lee ◽  
John H. Carson ◽  
...  

Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP) A2 is a trans-acting RNA-binding protein that mediates trafficking of RNAs containing the cis-acting A2 response element (A2RE). Previous work has shown that A2RE RNAs are transported to myelin in oligodendrocytes and to dendrites in neurons. hnRNP E1 is an RNA-binding protein that regulates translation of specific mRNAs. Here, we show by yeast two-hybrid analysis, in vivo and in vitro coimmunoprecipitation, in vitro cross-linking, and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy that hnRNP E1 binds to hnRNP A2 and is recruited to A2RE RNA in an hnRNP A2-dependent manner. hnRNP E1 is colocalized with hnRNP A2 and A2RE mRNA in granules in dendrites of oligodendrocytes. Overexpression of hnRNP E1 or microinjection of exogenous hnRNP E1 in neural cells inhibits translation of A2RE mRNA, but not of non-A2RE RNA. Excess hnRNP E1 added to an in vitro translation system reduces translation efficiency of A2RE mRNA, but not of nonA2RE RNA, in an hnRNP A2-dependent manner. These results are consistent with a model where hnRNP E1 recruited to A2RE RNA granules by binding to hnRNP A2 inhibits translation of A2RE RNA during granule transport.


1991 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 4297-4305
Author(s):  
C Jones ◽  
K A Lee

The cellular factors E4F and ATF-2 (a member of the activating transcription factor [ATF] family) bind to common sites in the adenovirus E4 promoter and have both been suggested to mediate transcriptional activation by the viral E1A protein. To assess the role of E4F, we have introduced mutations into the E4F/ATF binding sites of the E4 promoter and monitored promoter activity in HeLa cells. We find that the core motif (TGACG) of the E4F/ATF binding site is important for E4 promoter activity. However, a point mutation adjacent to the core motif that reduces E4F binding (but has no effect on ATF binding) has no effect on E4 promoter activity. Together with previous results, these findings indicate that there are at least two cellular factors (a member of the ATF family and E4F) that can function with E1A to induce transcription of the E4 promoter. We also find that certain mutations strongly reduce E4 transcription in vivo but have no effect on ATF-2 binding in vitro. These results are therefore incompatible with the possibility that (with respect to members of the ATF family) ATF-2 alone can function with E1A to transactivate the E4 promoter in HeLa cells.


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