Transcription factors interact with RNA to regulate genes.

Transcription factors (TFs) orchestrate the gene expression programs that define each cell's identity. The canonical TF accomplishes this with two domains, one that binds specific DNA sequences and the other that binds protein coactivators or corepressors. We find that at least half of TFs also bind RNA, doing so through a previously unrecognized domain with sequence and functional features analogous to the arginine-rich motif of the HIV transcriptional activator Tat. RNA binding contributes to TF function by promoting the dynamic association between DNA, RNA, and TF on chromatin. TF-RNA interactions are a conserved feature important for vertebrate development and disrupted in disease. We propose that the ability to bind DNA, RNA, and protein is a general property of many TFs and is fundamental to their gene regulatory function.

High-Resolution Mapping of RNA-Binding Regions in the Nuclear Proteome of Embryonic Stem Cells.

Interactions between noncoding RNAs and chromatin proteins play important roles in gene regulation, but the molecular details of most of these interactions are unknown. Using protein-RNA photocrosslinking and mass spectrometry on embryonic stem cell nuclei, we identified and mapped, at peptide resolution, the RNA-binding regions in ∼800 known and previously unknown RNA-binding proteins, many of which are transcriptional regulators and chromatin modifiers. In addition to known RNA-binding motifs, we detected several protein domains previously unknown to function in RNA recognition, as well as non-annotated and/or disordered regions, suggesting that many functional protein-RNA contacts remain unexplored. We identified RNA-binding regions in several chromatin regulators, including TET2, and validated their ability to bind RNA. Thus, proteomic identification of RNA-binding regions (RBR-ID) is a powerful tool to map protein-RNA interactions and will allow rational design of mutants to dissect their function at a mechanistic level.

A LAMP sequencing approach for high-throughput co-detection of SARS-CoV-2 and influenza virus in human saliva.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created an urgent need for rapid, effective, and low-cost SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic testing. Here, we describe COV-ID, an approach that combines RT-LAMP with deep sequencing to detect SARS-CoV-2 in unprocessed human saliva with a low limit of detection (5-10 virions). Based on a multi-dimensional barcoding strategy, COV-ID can be used to test thousands of samples overnight in a single sequencing run with limited labor and laboratory equipment. The sequencing-based readout allows COV-ID to detect multiple amplicons simultaneously, including key controls such as host transcripts and artificial spike-ins, as well as multiple pathogens. Here, we demonstrate this flexibility by simultaneous detection of 4 amplicons in contrived saliva samples: SARS-CoV-2, influenza A, human STATHERIN, and an artificial SARS calibration standard. The approach was validated on clinical saliva samples, where it showed excellent agreement with RT-qPCR. COV-ID can also be performed directly on saliva absorbed on filter paper, simplifying collection logistics and sample handling.

Disruption of ATRX-RNA interactions uncovers roles in ATRX localization and PRC2 function.

Heterochromatin in the eukaryotic genome is rigorously controlled by the concerted action of protein factors and RNAs. Here, we investigate the RNA binding function of ATRX, a chromatin remodeler with roles in silencing of repetitive regions of the genome and in recruitment of the polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2). We identify ATRX RNA binding regions (RBRs) and discover that the major ATRX RBR lies within the N-terminal region of the protein, distinct from its PHD and helicase domains. Deletion of this ATRX RBR (ATRXΔRBR) compromises ATRX interactions with RNAs in vitro and in vivo and alters its chromatin binding properties. Genome-wide studies reveal that loss of RNA interactions results in a redistribution of ATRX on chromatin. Finally, our studies identify a role for ATRX-RNA interactions in regulating PRC2 localization to a subset of polycomb target genes.

RNA exploits an exposed regulatory site to inhibit the enzymatic activity of PRC2.

Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) is a histone methyltransferase that maintains cell identity during development in multicellular organisms by marking repressed genes and chromatin domains. In addition to four core subunits, PRC2 comprises multiple accessory subunits that vary in their composition during cellular differentiation and define two major holo-PRC2 complexes: PRC2.1 and PRC2.2. PRC2 binds to RNA, which inhibits its enzymatic activity, but the mechanism of RNA-mediated inhibition of holo-PRC2 is poorly understood. Here we present in vivo and in vitro protein-RNA interaction maps and identify an RNA-binding patch within the allosteric regulatory site of human and mouse PRC2, adjacent to the methyltransferase center. RNA-mediated inhibition of holo-PRC2 is relieved by allosteric activation of PRC2 by H3K27me3 and JARID2-K116me3 peptides. Both holo-PRC2.1 and holo-PRC2.2 bind RNA, providing a unified model to explain how RNA and allosteric stimuli antagonistically regulate the enzymatic activity of PRC2.

Sample Preparation for Mass Spectrometry-based Identification of RNA-binding Regions.

Noncoding RNAs play important roles in several nuclear processes, including regulating gene expression, chromatin structure, and DNA repair. In most cases, the action of noncoding RNAs is mediated by proteins whose functions are in turn regulated by these interactions with noncoding RNAs. Consistent with this, a growing number of proteins involved in nuclear functions have been reported to bind RNA and in a few cases the RNA-binding regions of these proteins have been mapped, often through laborious, candidate-based methods. Here, we report a detailed protocol to perform a high-throughput, proteome-wide unbiased identification of RNA-binding proteins and their RNA-binding regions. The methodology relies on the incorporation of a photoreactive uridine analog in the cellular RNA, followed by UV-mediated protein-RNA crosslinking, and mass spectrometry analyses to reveal RNA-crosslinked peptides within the proteome. Although we describe the procedure for mouse embryonic stem cells, the protocol should be easily adapted to a variety of cultured cells.