Influence of human peripheral blood samples preprocessing on the quality of Hi-C libraries.

The genome-wide variant of the chromatin conformation capture technique (Hi-C) is a powerful tool for revealing patterns of genome spatial organization, as well as for understanding the effects of their disturbance on disease development. In addition, Hi-C can be used to detect chromosomal rearrangements, including balanced translocations and inversions. The use of the Hi-C method for the detection of chromosomal rearrangements is becoming more widespread. Modern high-throughput methods of genome analysis can effectively reveal point mutations and unbalanced chromosomal rearrangements. However, their sensitivity for determining translocations and inversions remains rather low. The storage of whole blood samples can affect the amount and integrity of genomic DNA, and it can distort the results of subsequent analyses if the storage was not under proper conditions. The Hi-C method is extremely demanding on the input material. The necessary condition for successfully applying Hi-C and obtaining high-quality data is the preservation of the spatial chromatin organization within the nucleus. The purpose of this study was to determine the optimal storage conditions of blood samples for subsequent Hi-C analysis. We selected 10 different conditions for blood storage and sample processing. For each condition, we prepared and sequenced Hi-C libraries. The quality of the obtained data was compared. As a result of the work, we formulated the requirements for the storage and processing of samples to obtain high-quality Hi-C data. We have established the minimum volume of blood sufficient for conducting Hi-C analysis. In addition, we have identified the most suitable methods for isolation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells and their long-term storage. The main requirement we have formulated is not to freeze whole blood.

Here and there: the double-side transgene localization.

Random transgene integration is a powerful tool for developing new genome-wide screening approaches. These techniques have already been used for functional gene annotation by transposon-insertion sequencing, for identif ication of transcription factor binding sites and regulatory sequences, and for dissecting chromatin position effects. Precise localization of transgenes and accurate artifact f iltration are essential for this type of method. To date, many mapping assays have been developed, including Inverse-PCR, TLA, LAM-PCR, and splinkerette PCR. However, none of them is able to ensure localization of both transgene's f lanking regions simultaneously, which would be necessary for some applications. Here we proposed a cheap and simple NGS-based approach that overcomes this limitation. The developed assay requires using intentionally designed vectors that lack recognition sites of one or a set of restriction enzymes used for DNA fragmentation. By looping and sequencing these DNA fragments, we obtain special data that allows us to link the two f lanking regions of the transposon. This can be useful for precise insertion mapping and for screening approaches in the f ield of chromosome engineering, where chromosomal recombination events between transgenes occur in a cell population. To demonstrate the method's feasibility, we applied it for mapping SB transposon integration in the human HAP1 cell line. Our technique allowed us to eff iciently localize genomic transposon integrations, which was conf irmed via PCR analysis. For practical application of this approach, we proposed a set of recommendations and a normalization strategy. The developed method can be used for multiplex transgene localization and detection of rearrangements between them.

Interpreting Chromosomal Rearrangements in the Context of 3-Dimentional Genome Organization: A Practical Guide for Medical Genetics.

In this exciting era of "next-gen cytogenetics", the use of novel molecular methods such as comparative genome hybridization and whole genome and whole exome sequencing becomes more and more common in clinics. This results in generation of large amounts of high-resolution patient-specific data and challenges the development of new approaches for interpretation of obtained information. Usually, interpretation of chromosomal rearrangements is focused on alterations of linear genome sequence, underestimating the role of spatial chromatin organization. In this article, we describe the main features of 3-dimentional genome organization, emphasizing their role in normal and pathological development. We highlight some tips to help physicians estimating the impact of chromosomal rearrangements on the patient phenotype. A separate section describes available tools that can be used to visualize and analyze human genome architecture.

Rational design and studies of excimer forming novel dual probes to target RNA.

In this paper, we report structure-based rational design and physico-chemical and biological studies of novel pyrene excimer forming dual probes for visualization of intracellular RNAs. Herein, the probes based on 2'-O-methyl RNA with linkers of different structure and length between pyrene moiety and ribose are studied with respect to their hybridization and spectral properties. We found optimal linkers that provide more intense excimer emission (at ∼480nm) of RNA-bound probes; particularly, the length of the linker arm of the 3'-component of dual probes plays a key role in formation of pyrene excimer. Calculated molecular dynamics trajectories and probability distributions of pyrene-pyrene dimer formation upon hybridization of the dual probes with RNA target are in agreement with the obtained fluorescence spectroscopy data for the corresponding duplexes. Our study demonstrates the excellent binding properties of new dual probes to structured RNA and their feasibility for the visualization of intracellular RNA targets.

Cell divisions are not essential for the direct conversion of fibroblasts into neuronal cells.

Direct lineage conversion is a promising approach for disease modeling and regenerative medicine. Cell divisions play a key role in reprogramming of somatic cells to pluripotency, however their role in direct lineage conversion is not clear. Here we used transdifferentiation of fibroblasts into neuronal cells by forced expression of defined transcription factors as a model system to study the role of cellular division in the direct conversion process. We have shown that conversion occurs in the presence of the cell cycle inhibitors aphidicolin or mimosine. Moreover, overexpression of the cell cycle activator cMyc negatively influences the process of direct conversion. Overall, our results suggest that cell divisions are not essential for the direct conversion of fibroblasts into neuronal cells.

[Reprogramming of somatic cells. Problems and solutions].

An adult mammal is composed of more than 200 different types of specialized somatic cells whose differentiated state remains stable over the life of the organism. For a long time it was believed that the differentiation process is irreversible, and the transition between the two types of specialized cells is impossible. The possibility of direct conversion of one differentiated cell type to another was first shown in the 80s of the last century in experiments on the conversion of fibroblasts into myoblasts by ectopic expression of the transcription factor MyoD. Surprisingly, this technology has remained unclaimed in cell biology for a long time. Interest in it revived after 200 thanks to the research of Novel Prize winner Shinya Yamanaka who has shown that a small set of transcription factors (Oct4, Sox2, Klf4 and c-Myc) is capable of restoring pluripotency in somatic cells which they lost in the process of differentiation. In 2010, using a similar strategy and the tissue-specific transcription factors Vierbuchen and coauthors showed the possibility of direct conversion of fibroblasts into neurons, i. e. the possibility of transdifferentiation of one type of somatic cells in the other. The works of these authoras were a breakthrough in the field of cell biology and gave a powerful impulse to the development of cell technologies for the needs of regenerative medicine. The present review discusses the main historical discoveries that preceded this work, evaluates the status of the problem and the progress in the development of methods for reprogramming at the moment, describes the main approaches to solving the problems of reprogramming of somatic cells into neuronal, and briefly discusses the prospect of application of reprogramming and transdifferentiation of cells for such important application areas as regenerative medicine, cell replacement therapy and drug screening.