RESUMO
Transcription elongation stalls at lesions in the DNA template1. For the DNA lesion to be repaired, the stalled transcription elongation complex (EC) has to be removed from the damaged site2. Here we show that translation, which is coupled to transcription in bacteria, actively dislodges stalled ECs from the damaged DNA template. By contrast, paused, but otherwise elongation-competent, ECs are not dislodged by the ribosome. Instead, they are helped back into processive elongation. We also show that the ribosome slows down when approaching paused, but not stalled, ECs. Our results indicate that coupled ribosomes functionally and kinetically discriminate between paused ECs and stalled ECs, ensuring the selective destruction of only the latter. This functional discrimination is controlled by the RNA polymerase's catalytic domain, the Trigger Loop. We show that the transcription-coupled DNA repair helicase UvrD, proposed to cause backtracking of stalled ECs3, does not interfere with ribosome-mediated dislodging. By contrast, the transcription-coupled DNA repair translocase Mfd4 acts synergistically with translation, and dislodges stalled ECs that were not destroyed by the ribosome. We also show that a coupled ribosome efficiently destroys misincorporated ECs that can cause conflicts with replication5. We propose that coupling to translation is an ancient and one of the main mechanisms of clearing non-functional ECs from the genome.
Assuntos
RNA Polimerases Dirigidas por DNA , Escherichia coli , Biossíntese de Proteínas , Transcrição Gênica , Domínio Catalítico , DNA Helicases/metabolismo , Reparo do DNA , DNA Bacteriano/genética , DNA Bacteriano/metabolismo , RNA Polimerases Dirigidas por DNA/química , RNA Polimerases Dirigidas por DNA/metabolismo , Escherichia coli/genética , Escherichia coli/metabolismo , Proteínas de Escherichia coli/metabolismo , Cinética , Ribossomos/metabolismo , Moldes Genéticos , Elongação da Transcrição Genética , Genoma BacterianoRESUMO
Break-induced telomere synthesis (BITS) is a RAD51-independent form of break-induced replication that contributes to alternative lengthening of telomeres1,2. This homology-directed repair mechanism utilizes a minimal replisome comprising proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and DNA polymerase-δ to execute conservative DNA repair synthesis over many kilobases. How this long-tract homologous recombination repair synthesis responds to complex secondary DNA structures that elicit replication stress remains unclear3-5. Moreover, whether the break-induced replisome orchestrates additional DNA repair events to ensure processivity is also unclear. Here we combine synchronous double-strand break induction with proteomics of isolated chromatin segments (PICh) to capture the telomeric DNA damage response proteome during BITS1,6. This approach revealed a replication stress-dominated response, highlighted by repair synthesis-driven DNA damage tolerance signalling through RAD18-dependent PCNA ubiquitination. Furthermore, the SNM1A nuclease was identified as the major effector of ubiquitinated PCNA-dependent DNA damage tolerance. SNM1A recognizes the ubiquitin-modified break-induced replisome at damaged telomeres, and this directs its nuclease activity to promote resection. These findings show that break-induced replication orchestrates resection-dependent lesion bypass, with SNM1A nuclease activity serving as a critical effector of ubiquitinated PCNA-directed recombination in mammalian cells.
Assuntos
Quebras de DNA de Cadeia Dupla , Reparo do DNA , Replicação do DNA , Recombinação Homóloga , Telômero , Moldes Genéticos , Animais , Proteínas de Ciclo Celular/metabolismo , Cromatina/genética , Cromatina/metabolismo , DNA Polimerase III/metabolismo , Proteínas de Ligação a DNA/metabolismo , Exodesoxirribonucleases/metabolismo , Mamíferos , Antígeno Nuclear de Célula em Proliferação/metabolismo , Proteômica , Rad51 Recombinase/metabolismo , Telômero/genética , Telômero/metabolismo , Ubiquitina/metabolismo , Ubiquitina-Proteína Ligases/metabolismo , UbiquitinaçãoRESUMO
Retrotransposons are highly enriched in the animal genome1-3. The activation of retrotransposons can rewrite host DNA information and fundamentally impact host biology1-3. Although developmental activation of retrotransposons can offer benefits for the host, such as against virus infection, uncontrolled activation promotes disease or potentially drives ageing1-5. After activation, retrotransposons use their mRNA as templates to synthesize double-stranded DNA for making new insertions in the host genome1-3,6. Although the reverse transcriptase that they encode can synthesize the first-strand DNA1-3,6, how the second-strand DNA is generated remains largely unclear. Here we report that retrotransposons hijack the alternative end-joining (alt-EJ) DNA repair process of the host for a circularization step to synthesize their second-strand DNA. We used Nanopore sequencing to examine the fates of replicated retrotransposon DNA, and found that 10% of them achieve new insertions, whereas 90% exist as extrachromosomal circular DNA (eccDNA). Using eccDNA production as a readout, further genetic screens identified factors from alt-EJ as essential for retrotransposon replication. alt-EJ drives the second-strand synthesis of the long terminal repeat retrotransposon DNA through a circularization process and is therefore necessary for eccDNA production and new insertions. Together, our study reveals that alt-EJ is essential in driving the propagation of parasitic genomic retroelements. Our study uncovers a conserved function of this understudied DNA repair process, and provides a new perspective to understand-and potentially control-the retrotransposon life cycle.
Assuntos
Reparo do DNA por Junção de Extremidades , Replicação do DNA , DNA Circular , Parasitos , Retroelementos , Animais , Retroelementos/genética , DNA Polimerase Dirigida por RNA/genética , DNA Polimerase Dirigida por RNA/metabolismo , RNA Mensageiro/genética , RNA Mensageiro/metabolismo , Moldes Genéticos , DNA Circular/biossíntese , DNA Circular/genética , DNA Circular/metabolismo , DNA de Cadeia Simples/biossíntese , DNA de Cadeia Simples/genética , DNA de Cadeia Simples/metabolismo , Parasitos/genética , Genoma/genéticaRESUMO
Currently favored models for meiotic recombination posit that both noncrossover and crossover recombination are initiated by DNA double-strand breaks but form by different mechanisms: noncrossovers by synthesis-dependent strand annealing and crossovers by formation and resolution of double Holliday junctions centered around the break. This dual mechanism hypothesis predicts different hybrid DNA patterns in noncrossover and crossover recombinants. We show that these predictions are not upheld, by mapping with unprecedented resolution parental strand contributions to recombinants at a model locus. Instead, break repair in both noncrossovers and crossovers involves synthesis-dependent strand annealing, often with multiple rounds of strand invasion. Crossover-specific double Holliday junction formation occurs via processes involving branch migration as an integral feature, one that can be separated from repair of the break itself. These findings reveal meiotic recombination to be a highly dynamic process and prompt a new view of the relationship between crossover and noncrossover recombination.
Assuntos
Troca Genética , Quebras de DNA de Cadeia Dupla , DNA Cruciforme/genética , DNA Fúngico/genética , Meiose , Reparo de DNA por Recombinação , Saccharomyces cerevisiae/genética , Troca de Cromátide Irmã , DNA Cruciforme/metabolismo , DNA Fúngico/metabolismo , Saccharomyces cerevisiae/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Saccharomyces cerevisiae/metabolismo , Proteínas de Saccharomyces cerevisiae/genética , Proteínas de Saccharomyces cerevisiae/metabolismo , Moldes GenéticosRESUMO
The mammalian DNA polymerase-α-primase (Polα-primase) complex is essential for DNA metabolism, providing the de novo RNA-DNA primer for several DNA replication pathways1-4 such as lagging-strand synthesis and telomere C-strand fill-in. The physical mechanism underlying how Polα-primase, alone or in partnership with accessory proteins, performs its complicated multistep primer synthesis function is unknown. Here we show that CST, a single-stranded DNA-binding accessory protein complex for Polα-primase, physically organizes the enzyme for efficient primer synthesis. Cryogenic electron microscopy structures of the CST-Polα-primase preinitiation complex (PIC) bound to various types of telomere overhang reveal that template-bound CST partitions the DNA and RNA catalytic centres of Polα-primase into two separate domains and effectively arranges them in RNA-DNA synthesis order. The architecture of the PIC provides a single solution for the multiple structural requirements for the synthesis of RNA-DNA primers by Polα-primase. Several insights into the template-binding specificity of CST, template requirement for assembly of the CST-Polα-primase PIC and activation are also revealed in this study.
Assuntos
DNA Primase , Complexo Shelterina , Telômero , Moldes Genéticos , DNA/metabolismo , DNA Primase/química , DNA Primase/metabolismo , Primers do DNA/biossíntese , Replicação do DNA , Humanos , Domínios Proteicos , RNA/biossíntese , RNA/metabolismo , Complexo Shelterina/química , Complexo Shelterina/metabolismo , Especificidade por Substrato , Telômero/química , Telômero/genética , Telômero/metabolismoRESUMO
Satellite cells are adult skeletal muscle stem cells that are quiescent and constitute a poorly defined heterogeneous population. Using transgenic Tg:Pax7-nGFP mice, we show that Pax7-nGFP(Hi) cells are less primed for commitment and have a lower metabolic status and delayed first mitosis compared to Pax7-nGFP(Lo) cells. Pax7-nGFP(Hi) can give rise to Pax7-nGFP(Lo) cells after serial transplantations. Proliferating Pax7-nGFP(Hi) cells exhibit lower metabolic activity, and the majority performs asymmetric DNA segregation during cell division, wherein daughter cells retaining template DNA strands express stem cell markers. Using chromosome orientation-fluorescence in situ hybridization, we demonstrate that all chromatids segregate asymmetrically, whereas Pax7-nGFP(Lo) cells perform random DNA segregation. Therefore, quiescent Pax7-nGFP(Hi) cells represent a reversible dormant stem cell state, and during muscle regeneration, Pax7-nGFP(Hi) cells generate distinct daughter cell fates by asymmetrically segregating template DNA strands to the stem cell. These findings provide major insights into the biology of stem cells that segregate DNA asymmetrically.
Assuntos
Células-Tronco Adultas/citologia , Segregação de Cromossomos , Músculo Esquelético/citologia , Células Satélites de Músculo Esquelético/citologia , Animais , Divisão Celular , Feminino , Camundongos , Camundongos Transgênicos , Fator de Transcrição PAX7/metabolismo , Moldes GenéticosRESUMO
Telomerase is unique among the reverse transcriptases in containing a noncoding RNA (known as telomerase RNA (TER)) that includes a short template that is used for the processive synthesis of G-rich telomeric DNA repeats at the 3' ends of most eukaryotic chromosomes1. Telomerase maintains genomic integrity, and its activity or dysregulation are critical determinants of human longevity, stem cell renewal and cancer progression2,3. Previous cryo-electron microscopy structures have established the general architecture, protein components and stoichiometries of Tetrahymena and human telomerase, but our understandings of the details of DNA-protein and RNA-protein interactions and of the mechanisms and recruitment involved remain limited4-6. Here we report cryo-electron microscopy structures of active Tetrahymena telomerase with telomeric DNA at different steps of nucleotide addition. Interactions between telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT), TER and DNA reveal the structural basis of the determination of the 5' and 3' template boundaries, handling of the template-DNA duplex and separation of the product strand during nucleotide addition. The structure and binding interface between TERT and telomerase protein p50 (a homologue of human TPP17,8) define conserved interactions that are required for telomerase activation and recruitment to telomeres. Telomerase La-related protein p65 remodels several regions of TER, bridging the 5' and 3' ends and the conserved pseudoknot to facilitate assembly of the TERT-TER catalytic core.
Assuntos
Microscopia Crioeletrônica , Telomerase/química , Telomerase/metabolismo , Telômero/metabolismo , Tetrahymena thermophila/enzimologia , Motivos de Aminoácidos , Sítios de Ligação , DNA/química , DNA/metabolismo , DNA/ultraestrutura , Humanos , Modelos Moleculares , Nucleotídeos , Ligação Proteica , RNA/química , RNA/metabolismo , RNA/ultraestrutura , Ribonucleoproteínas/química , Ribonucleoproteínas/metabolismo , Ribonucleoproteínas/ultraestrutura , Complexo Shelterina/química , Complexo Shelterina/metabolismo , Telomerase/ultraestrutura , Telômero/genética , Telômero/ultraestrutura , Proteínas de Ligação a Telômeros/química , Proteínas de Ligação a Telômeros/metabolismo , Moldes Genéticos , Tetrahymena thermophila/ultraestruturaRESUMO
Mobile genetic elements threaten genome integrity in all organisms. RDE-3 (also known as MUT-2) is a ribonucleotidyltransferase that is required for transposon silencing and RNA interference in Caenorhabditis elegans1-4. When tethered to RNAs in heterologous expression systems, RDE-3 can add long stretches of alternating non-templated uridine (U) and guanosine (G) ribonucleotides to the 3' termini of these RNAs (designated poly(UG) or pUG tails)5. Here we show that, in its natural context in C. elegans, RDE-3 adds pUG tails to targets of RNA interference, as well as to transposon RNAs. RNA fragments attached to pUG tails with more than 16 perfectly alternating 3' U and G nucleotides become gene-silencing agents. pUG tails promote gene silencing by recruiting RNA-dependent RNA polymerases, which use pUG-tailed RNAs (pUG RNAs) as templates to synthesize small interfering RNAs (siRNAs). Our results show that cycles of pUG RNA-templated siRNA synthesis and siRNA-directed pUG RNA biogenesis underlie double-stranded-RNA-directed transgenerational epigenetic inheritance in the C. elegans germline. We speculate that this pUG RNA-siRNA silencing loop enables parents to inoculate progeny against the expression of unwanted or parasitic genetic elements.
Assuntos
Caenorhabditis elegans/genética , Caenorhabditis elegans/parasitologia , Epigênese Genética/genética , Genoma/genética , Hereditariedade , Poli G/genética , Poli U/genética , RNA Mensageiro/genética , Animais , Caenorhabditis elegans/citologia , Caenorhabditis elegans/metabolismo , Proteínas de Caenorhabditis elegans/metabolismo , Células Germinativas/citologia , Células Germinativas/metabolismo , Masculino , Nucleotidiltransferases/metabolismo , Interferência de RNA , RNA Interferente Pequeno/genética , RNA Polimerase Dependente de RNA/metabolismo , Moldes GenéticosRESUMO
The emergence of RNA on the early Earth is likely to have been influenced by chemical and physical processes that acted to filter out various alternative nucleic acids. For example, UV photostability is thought to have favored the survival of the canonical nucleotides. In a recent proposal for the prebiotic synthesis of the building blocks of RNA, ribonucleotides share a common pathway with arabino- and threo-nucleotides. We have therefore investigated non-templated primer extension with 2-aminoimidazole-activated forms of these alternative nucleotides to see if the synthesis of the first oligonucleotides might have been biased in favor of RNA. We show that non-templated primer extension occurs predominantly through 5'-5' imidazolium-bridged dinucleotides, echoing the mechanism of template-directed primer extension. Ribo- and arabino-nucleotides exhibited comparable rates and yields of non-templated primer extension, whereas threo-nucleotides showed lower reactivity. Competition experiments confirmed the bias against the incorporation of threo-nucleotides. The incorporation of an arabino-nucleotide at the end of the primer acts as a chain terminator and blocks subsequent extension. These biases, coupled with potentially selective prebiotic synthesis, and the templated copying that is known to favour the incorporation of ribonucleotides, provide a plausible model for the effective exclusion of arabino- and threo-nucleotides from primordial oligonucleotides.
Assuntos
Nucleotídeos , RNA , Ribonucleotídeos , RNA/química , Nucleotídeos/química , Ribonucleotídeos/química , Origem da Vida , Moldes Genéticos , Imidazóis/química , Oligonucleotídeos/químicaRESUMO
DNA polymerase δ (pol δ) holoenzymes, comprised of pol δ and the processivity sliding clamp, PCNA, carry out DNA synthesis during lagging strand replication, initiation of leading strand replication, and the major DNA damage repair and tolerance pathways. Pol δ holoenzymes are assembled at primer/template (P/T) junctions and initiate DNA synthesis in a stepwise process involving the major single strand DNA (ssDNA)-binding protein complex, RPA, the processivity sliding clamp loader, RFC, PCNA and pol δ. During this process, the interactions of RPA, RFC and pol δ with a P/T junction all significantly overlap. A burning issue that has yet to be resolved is how these overlapping interactions are accommodated during this process. To address this, we design and utilize novel, ensemble FRET assays that continuously monitor the interactions of RPA, RFC, PCNA and pol δ with DNA as pol δ holoenzymes are assembled and initiate DNA synthesis. Results from the present study reveal that RPA remains engaged with P/T junctions throughout this process and the RPAâ¢DNA complexes dynamically re-organize to allow successive binding of RFC and pol δ. These results have broad implications as they highlight and distinguish the functional consequences of dynamic RPAâ¢DNA interactions in RPA-dependent DNA metabolic processes.
Assuntos
DNA Polimerase III , Replicação do DNA , DNA , Antígeno Nuclear de Célula em Proliferação , Proteína de Replicação A , Proteína de Replicação C , Moldes Genéticos , Proteína de Replicação A/metabolismo , DNA Polimerase III/metabolismo , DNA Polimerase III/genética , Antígeno Nuclear de Célula em Proliferação/metabolismo , Antígeno Nuclear de Célula em Proliferação/genética , Holoenzimas/metabolismo , DNA/metabolismo , DNA/biossíntese , Proteína de Replicação C/metabolismo , Proteína de Replicação C/genética , Primers do DNA/genética , Transferência Ressonante de Energia de Fluorescência , HumanosRESUMO
Most icosahedral DNA viruses package and condense their genomes into pre-formed, volumetrically constrained capsids. However, concurrent genome biosynthesis and packaging are specific to single-stranded (ss) DNA micro- and parvoviruses. Before packaging, ~120 copies of the øX174 DNA-binding protein J interact with double-stranded DNA. 60 J proteins enter the procapsid with the ssDNA genome, guiding it between 60 icosahedrally ordered DNA-binding pockets formed by the capsid proteins. Although J proteins are small, 28-37 residues in length, they have two domains. The basic, positively charged N-terminus guides the genome between binding pockets, whereas the C-terminus acts as an anchor to the capsid's inner surface. Three C-terminal aromatic residues, W30, Y31, and F37, interact most extensively with the coat protein. Their corresponding codons were mutated, and the resulting strains were biochemically and genetically characterized. Depending on the mutation, the substitutions produced unstable packaging complexes, unstable virions, infectious progeny, or particles packaged with smaller genomes, the latter being a novel phenomenon. The smaller genomes contained internal deletions. The juncture sequences suggest that the unessential A* (A star) protein mediates deletion formation.IMPORTANCEUnessential but strongly conserved gene products are understudied, especially when mutations do not confer discernable phenotypes or the protein's contribution to fitness is too small to reliably determine in laboratory-based assays. Consequently, their functions and evolutionary impact remain obscure. The data presented herein suggest that microvirus A* proteins, discovered over 40 years ago, may hasten the termination of non-productive packaging events. Thus, performing a salvage function by liberating the reusable components of the failed packaging complexes, such as DNA templates and replication enzymes.
Assuntos
Bacteriófago phi X 174 , Proteínas do Capsídeo , DNA de Cadeia Simples , DNA Viral , Proteínas de Ligação a DNA , Evolução Molecular , Empacotamento do Genoma Viral , Bacteriófago phi X 174/química , Bacteriófago phi X 174/genética , Bacteriófago phi X 174/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Bacteriófago phi X 174/metabolismo , Capsídeo/química , Capsídeo/metabolismo , Proteínas do Capsídeo/genética , Proteínas do Capsídeo/metabolismo , Sequência Conservada , DNA de Cadeia Simples/metabolismo , DNA Viral/metabolismo , Proteínas de Ligação a DNA/genética , Proteínas de Ligação a DNA/metabolismo , Aptidão Genética , Mutação , Fenótipo , Moldes Genéticos , Vírion/química , Vírion/genética , Vírion/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Vírion/metabolismoRESUMO
RNA can serve as a template for DNA double-strand break repair in yeast cells, and Rad52, a member of the homologous recombination pathway, emerged as an important player in this process. However, the exact mechanism of how Rad52 contributes to RNA-dependent DSB repair remained unknown. Here, we report an unanticipated activity of yeast and human Rad52: inverse strand exchange, in which Rad52 forms a complex with dsDNA and promotes strand exchange with homologous ssRNA or ssDNA. We show that in eukaryotes, inverse strand exchange between homologous dsDNA and RNA is a distinctive activity of Rad52; neither Rad51 recombinase nor the yeast Rad52 paralog Rad59 has this activity. In accord with our in vitro results, our experiments in budding yeast provide evidence that Rad52 inverse strand exchange plays an important role in RNA-templated DSB repair in vivo.
Assuntos
Quebras de DNA de Cadeia Dupla , Reparo do DNA , DNA Fúngico/metabolismo , DNA de Cadeia Simples/metabolismo , RNA Fúngico/metabolismo , Proteína Rad52 de Recombinação e Reparo de DNA/metabolismo , Proteínas de Saccharomyces cerevisiae/metabolismo , Saccharomyces cerevisiae/metabolismo , Moldes Genéticos , DNA Fúngico/genética , DNA de Cadeia Simples/genética , Humanos , Mutação , Ácidos Nucleicos Heteroduplexes , Ligação Proteica , RNA Fúngico/genética , Proteína Rad52 de Recombinação e Reparo de DNA/genética , Saccharomyces cerevisiae/genética , Proteínas de Saccharomyces cerevisiae/genética , Fatores de TempoRESUMO
Telomerase synthesizes telomeres at the ends of linear chromosomes by repeated reverse transcription from a short RNA template. Crystal structures of Tribolium castaneum telomerase reverse transcriptase (tcTERT) and cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of human and Tetrahymena telomerase have revealed conserved features in the reverse-transcriptase domain, including a cavity near the DNA 3' end and snug interactions with the RNA template. For the RNA template to translocate, it needs to be unpaired and separated from the DNA product. Here we investigate the potential of the structural cavity to accommodate a looped-out DNA bulge and enable the separation of the RNA/DNA hybrid. Using tcTERT as a model system, we show that a looped-out telomeric repeat in the DNA primer can be accommodated and extended by tcTERT but not by retroviral reverse transcriptase. Mutations that reduce the cavity size reduce the ability of tcTERT to extend the looped-out DNA substrate. In agreement with cryo-EM structures of telomerases, we find that tcTERT requires a minimum of 4 bp between the RNA template and DNA primer for efficient DNA synthesis. We also have determined the ternary-complex structure of tcTERT including a downstream RNA/DNA hybrid at 2.0-Å resolution and shown that a downstream RNA duplex, equivalent to the 5' template-boundary element in telomerase RNA, enhances the efficiency of telomere synthesis by tcTERT. Although TERT has a preformed active site without the open-and-closed conformational changes, it contains cavities to accommodate looped-out RNA and DNA. The flexible RNA-DNA binding likely underlies the processivity of telomeric repeat addition.
Assuntos
DNA/genética , RNA/metabolismo , Telomerase/metabolismo , Telômero , Animais , Ligação Proteica , Moldes Genéticos , Tribolium/metabolismoRESUMO
The evolutionary origin of RNA stem structures and the preservation of their base pairing under a spontaneous and random mutation process have puzzled theoretical evolutionary biologists. DNA replication-related template switching is a mutation mechanism that creates reverse-complement copies of sequence regions within a genome by replicating briefly along either the complementary or nascent DNA strand. Depending on the relative positions and context of the four switch points, this process may produce a reverse-complement repeat capable of forming the stem of a perfect DNA hairpin or fix the base pairing of an existing stem. Template switching is typically thought to trigger large structural changes, and its possible role in the origin and evolution of RNA genes has not been studied. Here, we show that the reconstructed ancestral histories of RNA genes contain mutation patterns consistent with the DNA replication-related template switching. In addition to multibase compensatory mutations, the mechanism can explain complex sequence changes, although mutations breaking the structure rarely get fixed in evolution. Our results suggest a solution for the long-standing dilemma of RNA gene evolution and demonstrate how template switching can both create perfect stems with a single mutation event and help maintaining the stem structure over time. Interestingly, template switching also provides an elegant explanation for the asymmetric base pair frequencies within RNA stems.
Assuntos
Replicação do DNA , DNA/química , DNA/genética , Sequências Repetidas Invertidas , Conformação de Ácido Nucleico , RNA/química , Moldes Genéticos , Pareamento de Bases , Sequência de Bases , Mutação , RNA/genéticaRESUMO
An important characteristic of cell differentiation is its stability. Only rarely do cells or their stem cell progenitors change their differentiation pathway. If they do, it is often accompanied by a malfunction such as cancer. A mechanistic understanding of the stability of differentiated states would allow better prospects of alleviating the malfunctioning. However, such complete information is yet elusive. Earlier experiments performed in Xenopus oocytes to address this question suggest that a cell may maintain its gene expression by prolonged binding of cell type-specific transcription factors. Here, using DNA competition experiments, we show that the stability of gene expression in a nondividing cell could be caused by the local entrapment of part of the general transcription machinery in transcriptionally active regions. Strikingly, we found that transcriptionally active and silent forms of the same DNA template can stably coexist within the same nucleus. Both DNA templates are associated with the gene-specific transcription factor Ascl1, the core factor TBP2, and the polymerase II (Pol-II) ser5 C-terminal domain (CTD) phosphorylated form, while Pol-II ser2 CTD phosphorylation is restricted to the transcriptionally dominant template. We discover that the active and silent DNA forms are physically separated in the oocyte nucleus through partition into liquid-liquid phase-separated condensates. Altogether, our study proposes a mechanism of transcriptional regulation involving a spatial entrapment of general transcription machinery components to stabilize the active form of a gene in a nondividing cell.
Assuntos
DNA/genética , Regulação da Expressão Gênica , Oócitos/metabolismo , Transcrição Gênica , Animais , Diferenciação Celular , DNA/metabolismo , Humanos , Oócitos/citologia , Fosforilação , RNA Polimerase II/metabolismo , Moldes Genéticos , XenopusRESUMO
In the RNA World before the emergence of an RNA polymerase, nonenzymatic template copying would have been essential for the transmission of genetic information. However, the products of chemical copying with the canonical nucleotides (A, U, C, and G) are heavily biased toward the incorporation of G and C, which form a more stable base pair than A and U. We therefore asked whether replacing adenine (A) with diaminopurine (D) might lead to more efficient and less biased nonenzymatic template copying by making a stronger version of the A:U pair. As expected, primer extension substrates containing D bound to U in the template more tightly than substrates containing A. However, primer extension with D exhibited elevated reaction rates on a C template, leading to concerns about fidelity. Our crystallographic studies revealed the nature of the D:C mismatch by showing that D can form a wobble-type base pair with C. We then asked whether competition with G would decrease the mismatched primer extension. We performed nonenzymatic primer extension with all four activated nucleotides on randomized RNA templates containing all four letters and used deep sequencing to analyze the products. We found that the DUCG genetic system exhibited a more even product distribution and a lower mismatch frequency than the canonical AUCG system. Furthermore, primer extension is greatly reduced following all mismatches, including the D:C mismatch. Our study suggests that D deserves further attention for its possible role in the RNA World and as a potentially useful component of artificial nonenzymatic RNA replication systems.
Assuntos
2-Aminopurina , RNA , RNA/química , 2-Aminopurina/química , 2-Aminopurina/análogos & derivados , Pareamento de Bases , Moldes Genéticos , Conformação de Ácido Nucleico , Modelos MolecularesRESUMO
DNA-templated silver nanoclusters (AgNCs-DNA) can be synthesized via a one-pot method bypassing the tedious process of biomolecular labeling. Appending an aptamer to DNA templates results in dual-functionalized DNA strands that can be utilized for synthesizing aptamer-modified AgNCs, thereby enabling the development of label-free fluorescence aptasensors. However, a major challenge lies in the necessity to redesign the dual-functionalized DNA strand for each specific target, thus increasing the complexity and hindering widespread application of these aptasensors. To overcome this challenge, we designed six DNA strands (DNA1-DNA6) that incorporate the templates for AgNCs synthesis and A4-linker for further aptamer coupling. Among all the synthesized AgNCs-DNA samples, it was found that both AgNCs-DNA1 and AgNCs-DNA2 stood out for their excellent long-term stability. After capturing the T4-linker that connected with aptamer1 specific for aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), however, we found that only AgNCs-DNA1/aptamer1 maintained excellent long-term stability. This finding highlighted the potential of AgNCs-DNA1 as a versatile label-free fluorescence probe for the development of on-demand fluorescence aptasensors. To emphasize its benefits in aptasensing applications, we utilized AgNCs-DNA1/aptamer1 as the fluorescence probe and MoS2 nanosheets as the quencher to develop a FRET aptasensor for AFB1 detection. This aptasensor demonstrated remarkable sensitivity, enabling the detection of AFB1 within a wide concentration range of 0.03-120 ng/mL, with a limit of detection as low as 3.6 pg/mL (S/N = 3). The versatility of the aptasensor has been validated through the recognition of diverse targets, employing aptamer2 specific for ochratoxin A and aptamer3 specific for zearalenone, thereby showcasing its extensive applicability for on-demand detection. The universal applicability of this aptasensor holds great promise for future applications in diverse fields including food safety, environmental monitoring, and clinical diagnosis.
Assuntos
Técnicas Biossensoriais , DNA/química , Espectrometria de Fluorescência , Moldes Genéticos , Prata/química , Técnicas Biossensoriais/instrumentação , Técnicas Biossensoriais/métodosRESUMO
Non-enzymatic template-directed primer extension is increasingly being studied for the production of RNA and DNA. These reactions benefit from producing RNA or DNA in an aqueous, protecting group free system, without the need for expensive enzymes. However, these primer extension reactions suffer from a lack of fidelity, low reaction rates, low overall yields, and short primer extension lengths. This review outlines a detailed mechanistic pathway for non-enzymatic template-directed primer extension and presents a review of the thermodynamic driving forces involved in entropic templating. Through the lens of entropic templating, the rate and fidelity of a reaction are shown to be intrinsically linked to the reactivity of the activating agent used. Thus, a strategy is discussed for the optimization of non-enzymatic template-directed primer extension, providing a path towards cost-effective inâ vitro synthesis of RNA and DNA.
Assuntos
Ácidos Nucleicos , Primers do DNA , DNA , RNA/genética , Termodinâmica , Moldes GenéticosRESUMO
Following Cas9 cleavage, DNA repair without a donor template is generally considered stochastic, heterogeneous and impractical beyond gene disruption. Here, we show that template-free Cas9 editing is predictable and capable of precise repair to a predicted genotype, enabling correction of disease-associated mutations in humans. We constructed a library of 2,000 Cas9 guide RNAs paired with DNA target sites and trained inDelphi, a machine learning model that predicts genotypes and frequencies of 1- to 60-base-pair deletions and 1-base-pair insertions with high accuracy (r = 0.87) in five human and mouse cell lines. inDelphi predicts that 5-11% of Cas9 guide RNAs targeting the human genome are 'precise-50', yielding a single genotype comprising greater than or equal to 50% of all major editing products. We experimentally confirmed precise-50 insertions and deletions in 195 human disease-relevant alleles, including correction in primary patient-derived fibroblasts of pathogenic alleles to wild-type genotype for Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome and Menkes disease. This study establishes an approach for precise, template-free genome editing.