Vesicular Release and Uptake of Circular LSD1-RNAs from Non-Cancer and Cancer Lung Cells.

Lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1) is highly expressed in many cancer types and strongly associated with cancer progression and metastasis. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are produced by back-splicing and influence the interactive RNA network by microRNA and protein sponging. In the present study, we aimedto identify circRNAs that derive from the LSD1-encoding KDM1A gene, and to investigate their potential to be released and uptaken by lung cancer versus non-cancer epithelial cells. We identified four circLSD1-RNAs by RT-PCR with divergent primers, followed by sequencing. The expression level of circLSD1-RNAs was then studied by quantitative PCR on cellular and extracellular fractions of lung cancer (PC9) and non-cancer primary small airway epithelial (PSAE) cells. Moreover, we established the transgenic overexpression of circLSD1-RNAs. We show that circLSD1-RNAs are primarily located in the cytoplasm, but are packaged and released from lung cancer and non-cancer cells by extracellular vesicles (EVs) and ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes, respectively. Proteomics demonstrated a different protein pattern of EV fractions released from PC9 versus PSAE cells. Importantly, released circLSD1-RNAs were differently taken up by PSAE and PC9 cells. In conclusion, our findings provide primary evidence that circLSD1-RNAs participate in the intercellular communication of lung cancer cells with the tumor environment.

Mechanisms and biomedical implications of -1 programmed ribosome frameshifting on viral and bacterial mRNAs.

Some proteins are expressed as a result of a ribosome frameshifting event that is facilitated by a slippery site and downstream secondary structure elements in the mRNA. This review summarizes recent progress in understanding mechanisms of -1 frameshifting in several viral genes, including IBV 1a/1b, HIV-1 gag-pol, and SFV 6K, and in Escherichia coli dnaX. The exact frameshifting route depends on the availability of aminoacyl-tRNAs: the ribosome normally slips into the -1-frame during tRNA translocation, but can also frameshift during decoding at condition when aminoacyl-tRNA is in limited supply. Different frameshifting routes and additional slippery sites allow viruses to maintain a constant production of their key proteins. The emerging idea that tRNA pools are important for frameshifting provides new direction for developing antiviral therapies.

Identification of a small molecule inhibitor that stalls splicing at an early step of spliceosome activation.

Small molecule inhibitors of pre-mRNA splicing are important tools for identifying new spliceosome assembly intermediates, allowing a finer dissection of spliceosome dynamics and function. Here, we identified a small molecule that inhibits human pre-mRNA splicing at an intermediate stage during conversion of pre-catalytic spliceosomal B complexes into activated Bact complexes. Characterization of the stalled complexes (designated B028) revealed that U4/U6 snRNP proteins are released during activation before the U6 Lsm and B-specific proteins, and before recruitment and/or stable incorporation of Prp19/CDC5L complex and other Bact complex proteins. The U2/U6 RNA network in B028 complexes differs from that of the Bact complex, consistent with the idea that the catalytic RNA core forms stepwise during the B to Bact transition and is likely stabilized by the Prp19/CDC5L complex and related proteins. Taken together, our data provide new insights into the RNP rearrangements and extensive exchange of proteins that occurs during spliceosome activation.

A spliceosome intermediate with loosely associated tri-snRNP accumulates in the absence of Prp28 ATPase activity.

The precise role of the spliceosomal DEAD-box protein Prp28 in higher eukaryotes remains unclear. We show that stable tri-snRNP association during pre-catalytic spliceosomal B complex formation is blocked by a dominant-negative hPrp28 mutant lacking ATPase activity. Complexes formed in the presence of ATPase-deficient hPrp28 represent a novel assembly intermediate, the pre-B complex, that contains U1, U2 and loosely associated tri-snRNP and is stalled before disruption of the U1/5'ss base pairing interaction, consistent with a role for hPrp28 in the latter. Pre-B and B complexes differ structurally, indicating that stable tri-snRNP integration is accompanied by substantial rearrangements in the spliceosome. Disruption of the U1/5'ss interaction alone is not sufficient to bypass the block by ATPase-deficient hPrp28, suggesting hPrp28 has an additional function at this stage of splicing. Our data provide new insights into the function of Prp28 in higher eukaryotes, and the requirements for stable tri-snRNP binding during B complex formation.

Mapping of the second tetracycline binding site on the ribosomal small subunit of E.coli.

Tetracycline blocks stable binding of aminoacyl-tRNA to the bacterial ribosomal A-site. Various tetracycline binding sites have been identified in crystals of the 30S ribosomal small subunit of Thermus thermophilus. Here we describe a direct photo- affinity modification of the ribosomal small subunits of Escherichia coli with 7-[3H]-tetracycline. To select for specific interactions, an excess of the 30S subunits over tetracycline has been used. Primer extension analysis of the 16S rRNA revealed two sites of the modifications: C936 and C948. Considering available data on tetracycline interactions with the prokaryotic 30S subunits, including the presented data (E.coli), X-ray data (T.thermophilus) and genetic data (Helicobacter pylori, E.coli), a second high affinity tetracycline binding site is proposed within the 3'-major domain of the 16S rRNA, in addition to the A-site related tetracycline binding site.