scholarly journals Identifying functional single nucleotide polymorphisms in the human CArGome

2011 ◽  
Vol 43 (18) ◽  
pp. 1038-1048 ◽  
Author(s):  
Craig C. Benson ◽  
Qian Zhou ◽  
Xiaochun Long ◽  
Joseph M. Miano

Regulatory SNPs (rSNPs) reside primarily within the nonprotein coding genome and are thought to disturb normal patterns of gene expression by altering DNA binding of transcription factors. Nevertheless, despite the explosive rise in SNP association studies, there is little information as to the function of rSNPs in human disease. Serum response factor (SRF) is a widely expressed DNA-binding transcription factor that has variable affinity to at least 1,216 permutations of a 10 bp transcription factor binding site (TFBS) known as the CArG box. We developed a robust in silico bioinformatics screening method to evaluate sequences around RefSeq genes for conserved CArG boxes. Utilizing a predetermined phastCons threshold score, we identified 8,252 strand-specific CArGs within an 8 kb window around the transcription start site of 5,213 genes, including all previously defined SRF target genes. We then interrogated this CArG dataset for the presence of previously annotated common polymorphisms. We found a total of 118 unique CArG boxes harboring a SNP within the 10 bp CArG sequence and 1,130 CArG boxes with SNPs located just outside the CArG element. Gel shift and luciferase reporter assays validated SRF binding and functional activity of several new CArG boxes. Importantly, SNPs within or just outside the CArG box often resulted in altered SRF binding and activity. Collectively, these findings demonstrate a powerful approach to computationally define rSNPs in the human CArGome and provide a foundation for similar analyses of other TFBS. Such information may find utility in genetic association studies of human disease where little insight is known regarding the functionality of rSNPs.

2016 ◽  
Vol 40 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 391-399 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bo Wang ◽  
Huan Yang ◽  
Liqin Shen ◽  
Ji Wang ◽  
Wangyang Pu ◽  
...  

Background/Aims: Interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF-1) has been shown to function as a transcriptional activator or repressor of a variety of target genes. However, its upstream, non-coding RNA-related regulatory capacity remains unknown. In this study, we focus on the miRNA-associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the 3′untranslated region (UTR) of IRF-1 to further investigate the functional relationship and potential diagnostic value of the SNPs and miRNAs among Chinese gastric cancer (GC) patients. Methods: We performed a case-control study with 819 GC patients and 756 cancer-free controls. Genotyping by realtime PCR assay, cell transfection, and the dual luciferase reporter assay were used in our study, and the 5-year overall survival rate and relapse-free survival rate in different groups were investigated. Results: We found that patients suffering from Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection were the susceptible population compared to controls. SNP rs56288038 (C/G) in IRF-1 3′UTR was involved in the occurrence of GC by acting as a tumor promoter factor. SNP rs56288038 (C/G) could be up-regulated by miR-502-5p, which caused a down-regulation of IRF-1 in cell lines and decreased apoptosis induced by IFN-γ. Carrying the G genotype was related to significantly low expression of IRF-1 and Hp infection, poor differentiation, big tumor size, invasion depth, as well as the high probability of metastasis, and moreover, the C/G SNP was associated with shorter survival of GC patients with five years of follow-up study. Conclusions: our findings have shown that the SNP rs56288038 (C/G) in IRF-1 3′UTR acted as a promotion factor in GC development through enhancing the regulatory role of miR-502-5p in IRF-1 expression.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (20) ◽  
pp. 2691-2703 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nur-Taz Rahman ◽  
Vincent P. Schulz ◽  
Lin Wang ◽  
Patrick G. Gallagher ◽  
Oleg Denisenko ◽  
...  

Abstract Serum response factor (SRF) is a ubiquitously expressed transcription factor that binds DNA at CArG (CC[A/T]6GG) domains in association with myocardin-family proteins (eg, myocardin-related transcription factor A [MRTFA]) or the ternary complex factor family of E26 transformation-specific (ETS) proteins. In primary hematopoietic cells, knockout of either SRF or MRTFA decreases megakaryocyte (Mk) maturation causing thrombocytopenia. The human erythroleukemia (HEL) cell line mimics the effects of MRTFA on Mk maturation, and MRTFA overexpression (MRTFAOE) in HEL cells enhances megakaryopoiesis. To identify the mechanisms underlying these effects, we performed integrated analyses of anti-SRF chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and RNA-sequencing data from noninduced and phorbol ester (12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate [TPA])–induced HEL cells, with and without MRTFAOE. We found that 11% of genes were upregulated with TPA induction, which was enhanced by MRTFAOE, resulting in an upregulation of 25% of genes. MRTFAOE increased binding of SRF to genomic sites and enhanced TPA-induced expression of SRF target genes. The TPA-induced genes are predicted to be regulated by SRF and ETS factors, whereas those upregulated by TPA plus MRTFAOE lack ETS binding motifs, and MRTFAOE skews SRF binding to genomic regions with CArG sites in regions relatively lacking in ETS binding motifs. Finally, ChIP–polymerase chain reaction using HEL cells and primary human CD34+ cell–derived subpopulations confirms that both SRF and MRTFA have increased binding during megakaryopoiesis at upregulated target genes (eg, CORO1A). We show for the first time that MRTFA increases both the genomic association and activity of SRF and upregulates genes that enhance primary human megakaryopoiesis.


2005 ◽  
Vol 25 (24) ◽  
pp. 11059-11072 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marta Hristova ◽  
Darcy Birse ◽  
Yang Hong ◽  
Victor Ambros

ABSTRACT A temporal gradient of the novel nuclear protein LIN-14 specifies the timing and sequence of stage-specific developmental events in Caenorhabditis elegans. The profound effects of lin-14 mutations on worm development suggest that LIN-14 directly or indirectly regulates stage-specific gene expression. We show that LIN-14 can associate with chromatin in vivo and has in vitro DNA binding activity. A bacterially expressed C-terminal domain of LIN-14 was used to select DNA sequences that contain a putative consensus binding site from a pool of randomized double-stranded oligonucleotides. To identify candidates for genes directly regulated by lin-14, we employed DNA microarray hybridization to compare the mRNA abundance of C. elegans genes in wild-type animals to that in mutants with reduced or elevated lin-14 activity. Five of the candidate LIN-14 target genes identified by microarrays, including the insulin/insulin-like growth factor family gene ins-33, contain putative LIN-14 consensus sites in their upstream DNA sequences. Genetic analysis indicates that the developmental regulation of ins-33 mRNA involves the stage-specific repression of ins-33 transcription by LIN-14 via sequence-specific DNA binding. These results reinforce the conclusion that lin-14 encodes a novel class of transcription factor.


2019 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
pp. 117693431986086
Author(s):  
Shan-Shan Dong ◽  
Yan Guo ◽  
Tie-Lin Yang

Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have successfully identified thousands of susceptibility loci for human complex diseases. However, missing heritability is still a challenging problem. Considering most GWAS loci are located in regulatory elements, we recently developed a pipeline named functional disease-associated single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) prediction (FDSP), to predict novel susceptibility loci for complex diseases based on the interpretation of regulatory features and published GWAS results with machine learning. When applied to type 2 diabetes and hypertension, the predicted susceptibility loci by FDSP were proved to be capable of explaining additional heritability. In addition, potential target genes of the predicted positive SNPs were significantly enriched in disease-related pathways. Our results suggested that taking regulatory features into consideration might be a useful way to address the missing heritability problem. We hope FDSP could offer help for the identification of novel susceptibility loci for complex diseases.


1999 ◽  
Vol 19 (7) ◽  
pp. 4582-4591 ◽  
Author(s):  
Narasimhaswamy S. Belaguli ◽  
Wei Zhou ◽  
Thuy-Hanh T. Trinh ◽  
Mark W. Majesky ◽  
Robert J. Schwartz

ABSTRACT Primary transcripts encoding the MADS box superfamily of proteins, such as MEF2 in animals and ZEMa in plants, are alternatively spliced, producing several isoformic species. We show here that murine serum response factor (SRF) primary RNA transcripts are alternatively spliced at the fifth exon, deleting approximately one-third of the C-terminal activation domain. Among the different muscle types examined, visceral smooth muscles have a very low ratio of SRFΔ5 to SRF. Increased levels of SRFΔ5 correlates well with reduced smooth muscle contractile gene activity within the elastic aortic arch, suggesting important biological roles for differential expression of SRFΔ5 variant relative to wild-type SRF. SRFΔ5 forms DNA binding-competent homodimers and heterodimers. SRFΔ5 acts as a naturally occurring dominant negative regulatory mutant that blocks SRF-dependent skeletal α-actin, cardiac α-actin, smooth α-actin, SM22α, and SRF promoter-luciferase reporter activities. Expression of SRFΔ5 interferes with differentiation of myogenic C2C12 cells and the appearance of skeletal α-actin and myogenin mRNAs. SRFΔ5 repressed the serum-induced activity of the c-fos serum response element. SRFΔ5 fused to the yeast Gal4 DNA binding domain displayed low transcriptional activity, which was complemented by overexpression of the coactivator ATF6. These results indicate that the absence of exon 5 might be bypassed through recruitment of transcription factors that interact with extra-exon 5 regions in the transcriptional activating domain. The novel alternatively spliced isoform of SRF, SRFΔ5, may play an important regulatory role in modulating SRF-dependent gene expression.


Blood ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 104 (11) ◽  
pp. 1618-1618
Author(s):  
John K. Choi ◽  
Siyuan Song ◽  
Jonathan Cooperman ◽  
Danielle L. Letting ◽  
Gerd A. Blobel

Abstract The transcription factor E2A is required for very early B cell development. The exact mechanism by which E2A promotes B cell development is unclear and cannot be explained by the known E2A targets, components of the pre-B cell receptor and cyclin dependent kinase inhibitors, indicating additional pathways and targets remain to be identified. We had previously reported that E2A can promote precursor B cell expansion, promote G1 cell cycle progression, and induce the expressions of multiple G1 phase cyclins including cyclin D3, suggesting that E2A induction of these genes may contribute to early B cell development. To better understand the mechanism by which E2A induces these cyclins, we characterized the relationship between E2A and the cyclin D3 gene promoter. E2A transactivated a luciferase reporter plasmid containing the 1kb promoter of cyclin D3 that contains two consensus E2A binding sites (E-boxes); however, deletion of the E-boxes did not disrupt the transactivation by E2A. We hypothesized three possible mechanisms: 1) indirect activation of cyclin D3 via another transcription factor, 2) binding of E2A to cryptic non-E-boxes, or 3) recruitment of E2A to the promoter via interaction with other DNA binding factor. To test the first possibility, promoter occupancy was examined using the DamID approach. In this approach, a fusion protein consisting of E. coli DNA adenosine methyltransferase (DAM) and a transcription factor of interest is expressed at low levels, resulting in specific methylation of adenosine residues within 2–5 kb of the transcription factor target sites. A fusion construct composed of E2A and DAM (E47Dam), was subcloned in lentiviral vectors, and used to transduce precursor B cell lines. The methylated adenosine residues were detected using a sensitive ligation-mediated PCR (LM-PCR) assay that required only 1 ug of genomic DNA and can detect methylation even if only 3% of the cells express E47Dam; no methylated adenosines were detected in control cells, indicating that all methylated residues resulted from E47Dam. Specific adenosine methylation was identified at the IgH intronic enhancer, a known E2A target site, but not at the non-target sites, CD19, HPRT, and GAPDH promoters. Specific methylation was detected at the cyclin D3 promoter but not 10 kb down-stream, despite similar concentrations of E-boxes at both sites. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis confirmed the DamID findings and further localized the binding to within 1 kb of the two E-boxes in the cyclin D3 promoter. To distinguish between the two remaining mechanisms (cryptic non-E-boxes versus recruitment via other DNA binding factors), two point mutations were introduced into E47Dam that disrupted its DNA binding activity. The mutated E47Dam continued to methylate at the cyclin D3 promoter. We conclude that E2A can be recruited to the cyclin D3 promoter, independent of E-boxes or E2A DNA binding activity. Our findings raise the possibility that some direct E2A target genes may lack functional E-boxes. Furthermore, mutated E2A, lacking an E2A DNA binding domain, that is seen in 6% of pediatric ALLs may still activate a subset of E2A target genes. Finally, our application of lentiviral vectors and LM-PCR to the DamID approach should permit analysis of primary human precursor B cells, despite the limitations in cell number and transduction efficiency.


Blood ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 126 (23) ◽  
pp. 78-78
Author(s):  
William S Stevenson ◽  
David John Rabbolini ◽  
Timothy Brighton ◽  
Joel Mackay ◽  
Christopher M Ward ◽  
...  

Abstract Deletion of a variable region on chromosome 11q containing FLI1 causes a platelet-related bleeding disorder in Paris-Trousseau thrombocytopenia and Jacobsen syndrome. We report a kindred with the autosomal recessive inheritance of an ETS domain mutation of FLI1, c.970C>T, that causes macrothrombocytopenia with large alpha granule fusion similar to that observed in Paris-Trousseau thrombocytopenia but with no other syndromal features of Paris-Trousseau or Jacobsen syndromes. Affected individuals are moderately thrombocytopenic (mean = 71 x109/L), have absent collagen-induced platelet aggregation and a lifelong mucosal bleeding history. Platelet MYH10 levels were increased in affected members of the kindred consistent with previous reports of elevated MYH10 in Paris-Trousseau thrombocytopenia. Luciferase reporter assays in HEK293 cells demonstrate that the mutant FLI1 transcript is associated with decreased transcription at the FLI target genes GP6, GP9 and ITGA2B compared to the wild-type transcript (23 vs 31, n=9, P<0.01; 3.8 vs 6.5, P<0.01, n=12; 11 vs 14, n=9, P=0.01, respectively). This transcriptional change was consistent with reduced expression of GPVI (P<0.01), GPIbIX (P<0.01) and GPIIbIIIa (P=0.04) observed on western blotting of platelet lysates from affected family members. This mutation replaces the conserved Arg324 with a tryptophan in the DNA-binding loop between the alpha-2 and alpha-3 helices of the FLI1 ETS domain. Protein modelling suggests that Arg324 does not directly bind DNA but may instead make direct contact with an N-terminal autoinhibitory domain of FLI1 that is considered to regulate DNA-binding affinity through a transition between a folded and unfolded state. This mutation may disrupt this important conformational change. These data suggest abnormalities of FLI1 function may be responsible for the complex platelet defect observed in Paris-Trousseau thrombocytopenia and Jacobsen Syndrome and confirm the role of FLI1 as an important transcriptional regulator of normal platelet development. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


1995 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 1522-1535 ◽  
Author(s):  
W J Fredericks ◽  
N Galili ◽  
S Mukhopadhyay ◽  
G Rovera ◽  
J Bennicelli ◽  
...  

Alveolar rhabdomyosarcomas are pediatric solid tumors with a hallmark cytogenetic abnormality: translocation of chromosomes 2 and 13 [t(2;13) (q35;q14)]. The genes on each chromosome involved in this translocation have been identified as the transcription factor-encoding genes PAX3 and FKHR. The NH2-terminal paired box and homeodomain DNA-binding domains of PAX3 are fused in frame to COOH-terminal regions of the chromosome 13-derived FKHR gene, a novel member of the forkhead DNA-binding domain family. To determine the role of the fusion protein in transcriptional regulation and oncogenesis, we identified the PAX3-FKHR fusion protein and characterized its function(s) as a transcription factor relative to wild-type PAX3. Antisera specific to PAX3 and FKHR were developed and used to examine PAX3 and PAX3-FKHR expression in tumor cell lines. Sequential immunoprecipitations with anti-PAX3 and anti-FKHR sera demonstrated expression of a 97-kDa PAX3-FKHR fusion protein in the t(2;13)-positive rhabdomyosarcoma Rh30 cell line and verified that a single polypeptide contains epitopes derived from each protein. The PAX3-FKHR protein was localized to the nucleus in Rh30 cells, as was wild-type PAX3, in t(2;13)-negative A673 cells. In gel shift assays using a canonical PAX binding site (e5 sequence), we found that DNA binding of PAX3-FKHR was significantly impaired relative to that of PAX3 despite the two proteins having identical PAX DNA-binding domains. However, the PAX3-FKHR fusion protein was a much more potent transcriptional activator than PAX3 as determined by transient cotransfection assays using e5-CAT reporter plasmids. The PAX3-FKHR protein may function as an oncogenic transcription factor by enhanced activation of normal PAX3 target genes.


1996 ◽  
Vol 16 (7) ◽  
pp. 3338-3349 ◽  
Author(s):  
P Shore ◽  
A J Whitmarsh ◽  
R Bhaskaran ◽  
R J Davis ◽  
J P Waltho ◽  
...  

Several mechanisms are employed by members of transcription factor families to achieve sequence-specific DNA recognition. In this study, we have investigated how members of the ETS-domain transcription factor family achieve such specificity. We have used the ternary complex factor (TCF) subfamily as an example. ERK2 mitogen-activated protein kinase stimulates serum response factor-dependent and autonomous DNA binding by the TCFs Elk-1 and SAP-la. Phosphorylated Elk-1 and SAP-la exhibit specificities of DNA binding similar to those of their isolated ETS domains. The ETS domains of Elk-1 and SAP-la and SAP-2 exhibit related but distinct DNA-binding specificities. A single residue, D-69 (Elk-1) or V-68 (SAP-1), has been identified as the critical determinant for the differential binding specificities of Elk-1 and SAP-1a, and an additional residue, D-38 (Elk-1) or Q-37 (SAP-1), further modulates their DNA binding. Creation of mutations D38Q and D69V is sufficient to confer SAP-la DNA-binding specificity upon Elk-1 and thereby allow it to bind to a greater spectrum of sites. Molecular modelling indicates that these two residues (D-38 and D-69) are located away from the DNA-binding interface of Elk-1. Our data suggest a mechanism in which these residues modulate DNA binding by influencing the interaction of other residues with DNA.


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