m6A RNA modification regulates innate lymphoid cell responses in a lineage-specific manner.

Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) can quickly switch from a quiescent state to an active state and rapidly produce effector molecules that provide critical early immune protection. How the post-transcriptional machinery processes different stimuli and initiates robust gene expression in ILCs is poorly understood. Here, we show that deletion of the N6-methyladenosine (m6A) writer protein METTL3 has little impact on ILC homeostasis or cytokine-induced ILC1 or ILC3 responses but significantly diminishes ILC2 proliferation, migration and effector cytokine production and results in impaired antihelminth immunity. m6A RNA modification supports an increase in cell size and transcriptional activity in activated ILC2s but not in ILC1s or ILC3s. Among other transcripts, the gene encoding the transcription factor GATA3 is highly m6A methylated in ILC2s. Targeted m6A demethylation destabilizes nascent Gata3 mRNA and abolishes the upregulation of GATA3 and ILC2 activation. Our study suggests a lineage-specific requirement of m6A for ILC2 responses.

Regulation of long non-coding RNAs and genome dynamics by the RNA surveillance machinery.

Much of the mammalian genome is transcribed, generating long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) that can undergo post-transcriptional surveillance whereby only a subset of the non-coding transcripts is allowed to attain sufficient stability to persist in the cellular milieu and control various cellular functions. Paralleling protein turnover by the proteasome complex, lncRNAs are also likely to exist in a dynamic equilibrium that is maintained through constant monitoring by the RNA surveillance machinery. In this Review, we describe the RNA surveillance factors and discuss the vital role of lncRNA surveillance in orchestrating various biological processes, including the protection of genome integrity, maintenance of pluripotency of embryonic stem cells, antibody-gene diversification, coordination of immune cell activation and regulation of heterochromatin formation. We also discuss examples of human diseases and developmental defects associated with the failure of RNA surveillance mechanisms, further highlighting the importance of lncRNA surveillance in maintaining cell and organism functions and health.

Nuclear Proximity of Mtr4 to RNA Exosome Restricts DNA Mutational Asymmetry.

The distribution of sense and antisense strand DNA mutations on transcribed duplex DNA contributes to the development of immune and neural systems along with the progression of cancer. Because developmentally matured B cells undergo biologically programmed strand-specific DNA mutagenesis at focal DNA/RNA hybrid structures, they make a convenient system to investigate strand-specific mutagenesis mechanisms. We demonstrate that the sense and antisense strand DNA mutagenesis at the immunoglobulin heavy chain locus and some other regions of the B cell genome depends upon localized RNA processing protein complex formation in the nucleus. Both the physical proximity and coupled activities of RNA helicase Mtr4 (and senataxin) with the noncoding RNA processing function of RNA exosome determine the strand-specific distribution of DNA mutations. Our study suggests that strand-specific DNA mutagenesis-associated mechanisms will play major roles in other undiscovered aspects of organismic development.

The RNA Exosome Syncs IAV-RNAPII Transcription to Promote Viral Ribogenesis and Infectivity.

The nuclear RNA exosome is an essential multi-subunit complex that controls RNA homeostasis. Congenital mutations in RNA exosome genes are associated with neurodegenerative diseases. Little is known about the role of the RNA exosome in the cellular response to pathogens. Here, using NGS and human and mouse genetics, we show that influenza A virus (IAV) ribogenesis and growth are suppressed by impaired RNA exosome activity. Mechanistically, the nuclear RNA exosome coordinates the initial steps of viral transcription with RNAPII at host promoters. The viral polymerase complex co-opts the nuclear RNA exosome complex and cellular RNAs en route to 3' end degradation. Exosome deficiency uncouples chromatin targeting of the viral polymerase complex and the formation of cellular:viral RNA hybrids, which are essential RNA intermediates that license transcription of antisense genomic viral RNAs. Our results suggest that evolutionary arms races have shaped the cellular RNA quality control machinery.

Nuclear RNA catabolism controls endogenous retroviruses, gene expression asymmetry, and dedifferentiation.

Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) are remnants of ancient parasitic infections and comprise sizable portions of most genomes. Although epigenetic mechanisms silence most ERVs by generating a repressive environment that prevents their expression (heterochromatin), little is known about mechanisms silencing ERVs residing in open regions of the genome (euchromatin). This is particularly important during embryonic development, where induction and repression of distinct classes of ERVs occur in short temporal windows. Here, we demonstrate that transcription-associated RNA degradation by the nuclear RNA exosome and Integrator is a regulatory mechanism that controls the productive transcription of most genes and many ERVs involved in preimplantation development. Disrupting nuclear RNA catabolism promotes dedifferentiation to a totipotent-like state characterized by defects in RNAPII elongation and decreased expression of long genes (gene-length asymmetry). Our results indicate that RNA catabolism is a core regulatory module of gene networks that safeguards RNAPII activity, ERV expression, cell identity, and developmental potency.

Malaria-Induced B Cell Genomic Instability.

Nussenzweig and colleagues evaluate genomic instability and germinal center derived lymphomagenesis in mice infected with Plasmodium to recreate some of the hallmark characteristics of Burkitt lymphoma, a form of cancer more common in parts of Africa where malaria is endemic.

RNA exosome-regulated long non-coding RNA transcription controls super-enhancer activity.

We have ablated the cellular RNA degradation machinery in differentiated B cells and pluripotent embryonic stem cells (ESCs) by conditional mutagenesis of core (Exosc3) and nuclear RNase (Exosc10) components of RNA exosome and identified a vast number of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and enhancer RNAs (eRNAs) with emergent functionality. Unexpectedly, eRNA-expressing regions accumulate R-loop structures upon RNA exosome ablation, thus demonstrating the role of RNA exosome in resolving deleterious DNA/RNA hybrids arising from active enhancers. We have uncovered a distal divergent eRNA-expressing element (lncRNA-CSR) engaged in long-range DNA interactions and regulating IgH 3' regulatory region super-enhancer function. CRISPR-Cas9-mediated ablation of lncRNA-CSR transcription decreases its chromosomal looping-mediated association with the IgH 3' regulatory region super-enhancer and leads to decreased class switch recombination efficiency. We propose that the RNA exosome protects divergently transcribed lncRNA expressing enhancers by resolving deleterious transcription-coupled secondary DNA structures, while also regulating long-range super-enhancer chromosomal interactions important for cellular function.

Mechanism of noncoding RNA-associated N6-methyladenosine recognition by an RNA processing complex during IgH DNA recombination.

Immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) locus-associated G-rich long noncoding RNA (SµGLT) is important for physiological and pathological B cell DNA recombination. We demonstrate that the METTL3 enzyme-catalyzed N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA modification drives recognition and 3' end processing of SµGLT by the RNA exosome, promoting class switch recombination (CSR) and suppressing chromosomal translocations. The recognition is driven by interaction of the MPP6 adaptor protein with nuclear m6A reader YTHDC1. MPP6 and YTHDC1 promote CSR by recruiting AID and the RNA exosome to actively transcribe SµGLT. Direct suppression of m6A modification of SµGLT or of m6A reader YTHDC1 reduces CSR. Moreover, METTL3, an essential gene for B cell development in the bone marrow and germinal center, suppresses IgH-associated aberrant DNA breaks and prevents genomic instability. Taken together, we propose coordinated and central roles for MPP6, m6A modification, and m6A reader proteins in controlling long noncoding RNA processing, DNA recombination, and development in B cells.

The RNA exosome targets the AID cytidine deaminase to both strands of transcribed duplex DNA substrates.

Activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) initiates immunoglobulin (Ig) heavy-chain (IgH) class switch recombination (CSR) and Ig variable region somatic hypermutation (SHM) in B lymphocytes by deaminating cytidines on template and nontemplate strands of transcribed DNA substrates. However, the mechanism of AID access to the template DNA strand, particularly when hybridized to a nascent RNA transcript, has been an enigma. We now implicate the RNA exosome, a cellular RNA-processing/degradation complex, in targeting AID to both DNA strands. In B lineage cells activated for CSR, the RNA exosome associates with AID, accumulates on IgH switch regions in an AID-dependent fashion, and is required for optimal CSR. Moreover, both the cellular RNA exosome complex and a recombinant RNA exosome core complex impart robust AID- and transcription-dependent DNA deamination of both strands of transcribed SHM substrates in vitro. Our findings reveal a role for noncoding RNA surveillance machinery in generating antibody diversity.

A ChIP-exo screen of 887 Protein Capture Reagents Program transcription factor antibodies in human cells.

Antibodies offer a powerful means to interrogate specific proteins in a complex milieu. However, antibody availability and reliability can be problematic, whereas epitope tagging can be impractical in many cases. To address these limitations, the Protein Capture Reagents Program (PCRP) generated over a thousand renewable monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against human presumptive chromatin proteins. However, these reagents have not been widely field-tested. We therefore performed a screen to test their ability to enrich genomic regions via chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and a variety of orthogonal assays. Eight hundred eighty-seven unique antibodies against 681 unique human transcription factors (TFs) were assayed by ultra-high-resolution ChIP-exo/seq, generating approximately 1200 ChIP-exo data sets, primarily in a single pass in one cell type (K562). Subsets of PCRP mAbs were further tested in ChIP-seq, CUT&RUN, STORM super-resolution microscopy, immunoblots, and protein binding microarray (PBM) experiments. About 5% of the tested antibodies displayed high-confidence target (i.e., cognate antigen) enrichment across at least one assay and are strong candidates for additional validation. An additional 34% produced ChIP-exo data that were distinct from background and thus warrant further testing. The remaining 61% were not substantially different from background, and likely require consideration of a much broader survey of cell types and/or assay optimizations. We show and discuss the metrics and challenges to antibody validation in chromatin-based assays.

Post-transcriptional regulation by the exosome complex is required for cell survival and forebrain development via repression of P53 signaling.

Fine-tuned gene expression is crucial for neurodevelopment. The gene expression program is tightly controlled at different levels, including RNA decay. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) methylation-mediated degradation of RNA is essential for brain development. However, m6A methylation impacts not only RNA stability, but also other RNA metabolism processes. How RNA decay contributes to brain development is largely unknown. Here, we show that Exosc10, a RNA exonuclease subunit of the RNA exosome complex, is indispensable for forebrain development. We report that cortical cells undergo overt apoptosis, culminating in cortical agenesis upon conditional deletion of Exosc10 in mouse cortex. Mechanistically, Exosc10 directly binds and degrades transcripts of the P53 signaling-related genes, such as Aen and Bbc3. Overall, our findings suggest a crucial role for Exosc10 in suppressing the P53 pathway, in which the rapid turnover of the apoptosis effectors Aen and Bbc3 mRNAs is essential for cell survival and normal cortical histogenesis.

The transcription factor BATF controls the global regulators of class-switch recombination in both B cells and T cells.

The transcription factor BATF controls the differentiation of interleukin 17 (IL-17)-producing helper T cells (T(H)17 cells) by regulating expression of the transcription factor RORγt itself and RORγt target genes such as Il17. Here we report the mechanism by which BATF controls in vivo class-switch recombination (CSR). In T cells, BATF directly controlled expression of the transcription factors Bcl-6 and c-Maf, both of which are needed for development of follicular helper T cells (T(FH) cells). Restoring T(FH) cell activity to Batf(-/-) T cells in vivo required coexpression of Bcl-6 and c-Maf. In B cells, BATF directly controlled the expression of both activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) and of germline transcripts of the intervening heavy-chain region and constant heavy-chain region (I(H)-C(H)). Thus, BATF functions at multiple hierarchical levels in two cell types to globally regulate switched antibody responses in vivo.

Regulation of AID, the B-cell genome mutator.

The mechanisms by which B cells somatically engineer their genomes to generate the vast diversity of antibodies required to challenge the nearly infinite number of antigens that immune systems encounter are of tremendous clinical and academic interest. The DNA cytidine deaminase activation-induced deaminase (AID) catalyzes two of these mechanisms: class switch recombination (CSR) and somatic hypermutation (SHM). Recent discoveries indicate a significant promiscuous targeting of this B-cell mutator enzyme genome-wide. Here we discuss the various regulatory elements that control AID activity and prevent AID from inducing genomic instability and thereby initiating oncogenesis.

E3-ubiquitin ligase Nedd4 determines the fate of AID-associated RNA polymerase II in B cells.

Programmed mutagenesis of the immunoglobulin locus of B lymphocytes during class switch recombination (CSR) and somatic hypermutation requires RNA polymerase II (polII) transcription complex-dependent targeting of the DNA mutator activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID). AID deaminates cytidine residues on substrate sequences in the immunoglobulin (Ig) locus via a transcription-dependent mechanism, and this activity is stimulated by the RNA polII stalling cofactor Spt5 and the 11-subunit cellular noncoding RNA 3'-5' exonucleolytic processing complex RNA exosome. The mechanism by which the RNA exosome recognizes immunoglobulin locus RNA substrates to stimulate AID DNA deamination activity on its in vivo substrate sequences is an important question. Here we report that E3-ubiquitin ligase Nedd4 destabilizes AID-associated RNA polII by a ubiquitination event, leading to generation of 3' end free RNA exosome RNA substrates at the Ig locus and other AID target sequences genome-wide. We found that lack of Nedd4 activity in B cells leads to accumulation of RNA exosome substrates at AID target genes and defective CSR. Taken together, our study links noncoding RNA processing following RNA polII pausing with regulation of the mutator AID protein. Our study also identifies Nedd4 as a regulator of noncoding RNAs that are generated by stalled RNA polII genome-wide.

Lingering Questions about Enhancer RNA and Enhancer Transcription-Coupled Genomic Instability.

Intergenic and intragenic enhancers found inside topologically associated regulatory domains (TADs) express noncoding RNAs, known as enhancer RNAs (eRNAs). Recent studies have indicated these eRNAs play a role in gene regulatory networks by controlling promoter and enhancer interactions and topology of higher-order chromatin structure. Misregulation of enhancer and promoter associated noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) could stabilize deleterious secondary DNA structures, noncoding RNA associated DNA/RNA hybrid formation, and promote collisions of transcription complexes with replisomes. It is revealing that many chromosomal aberrations, some associated with malignancies, are present inside enhancer and/or promoter sequences. Here, we expand on current concepts to discuss enhancer RNAs and enhancer transcription, and how enhancer transcription influences genomic organization and integrity.

Noncoding RNA transcription targets AID to divergently transcribed loci in B cells.

The vast majority of the mammalian genome has the potential to express noncoding RNA (ncRNA). The 11-subunit RNA exosome complex is the main source of cellular 3'-5' exoribonucleolytic activity and potentially regulates the mammalian noncoding transcriptome. Here we generated a mouse model in which the essential subunit Exosc3 of the RNA exosome complex can be conditionally deleted. Exosc3-deficient B cells lack the ability to undergo normal levels of class switch recombination and somatic hypermutation, two mutagenic DNA processes used to generate antibody diversity via the B-cell mutator protein activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID). The transcriptome of Exosc3-deficient B cells has revealed the presence of many novel RNA exosome substrate ncRNAs. RNA exosome substrate RNAs include xTSS-RNAs, transcription start site (TSS)-associated antisense transcripts that can exceed 500 base pairs in length and are transcribed divergently from cognate coding gene transcripts. xTSS-RNAs are most strongly expressed at genes that accumulate AID-mediated somatic mutations and/or are frequent translocation partners of DNA double-strand breaks generated at Igh in B cells. Strikingly, translocations near TSSs or within gene bodies occur over regions of RNA exosome substrate ncRNA expression. These RNA exosome-regulated, antisense-transcribed regions of the B-cell genome recruit AID and accumulate single-strand DNA structures containing RNA-DNA hybrids. We propose that RNA exosome regulation of ncRNA recruits AID to single-strand DNA-forming sites of antisense and divergent transcription in the B-cell genome, thereby creating a link between ncRNA transcription and overall maintenance of B-cell genomic integrity.

Evolution of phosphorylation-dependent regulation of activation-induced cytidine deaminase.

Interaction of activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) with replication protein A (RPA) has been proposed to promote AID access to transcribed double-stranded (ds) DNA during immunoglobulin light chain and heavy chain class switch recombination (CSR). Mouse AID (mAID) interaction with RPA and transcription-dependent dsDNA deamination in vitro requires protein kinase A (PKA) phosphorylation at serine 38 (S38), and normal mAID CSR activity depends on S38. However, zebrafish AID (zAID) catalyzes robust CSR in mouse cells despite lacking an S38-equivalent PKA site. Here, we show that aspartate 44 (D44) in zAID provides similar in vitro and in vivo functionality as mAID S38 phosphorylation. Moreover, introduction of a PKA site into a zAID D44 mutant made it PKA dependent for in vitro activities and restored normal CSR activity. Based on these findings, we generated mAID mutants that similarly function independently of S38 phosphorylation. Comparison of bony fish versus amphibian and mammalian AIDs suggests evolutionary divergence from constitutive to PKA-regulated RPA/AID interaction.

Somatic hypermutation mechanisms during lymphomagenesis and transformation.

B cells undergoing physiologically programmed or aberrant genomic alterations provide an opportune system to study the causes and consequences of genome mutagenesis. Activated B cells in germinal centers express activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) to accomplish physiological somatic hypermutation (SHM) of their antibody-encoding genes. In attempting to diversify their immunoglobulin (Ig) heavy- and light-chain genes, several B-cell clones successfully optimize their antigen-binding affinities. However, SHM can sometimes occur at non-Ig loci, causing genetic alternations that lay the foundation for lymphomagenesis, particularly diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Thus, SHM acts as a double-edged sword, bestowing superb humoral immunity at the potential risk of initiating disease. We refer to off-target, non-Ig AID mutations - that are often but not always associated with disease - as aberrant SHM (aSHM). A key challenge in understanding SHM and aSHM is determining how AID targets and mutates specific DNA sequences in the Ig loci to generate antibody diversity and non-Ig genes to initiate lymphomagenesis. Herein, we discuss some current advances regarding the regulation of AID's DNA mutagenesis activity in B cells.

AID in non-Hodgkin B-cell lymphomas: The consequences of on- and off-target activity.

Activation induced cytidine deaminase (AID) is a key element of the adaptive immune system, required for immunoglobulin isotype switching and affinity maturation of B-cells as they undergo the germinal center (GC) reaction in peripheral lymphoid tissue. The inherent DNA damaging activity of this enzyme can also have off-target effects in B-cells, producing lymphomagenic chromosomal translocations that are characteristic features of various classes of non-Hodgkin B-cell lymphoma (B-NHL), and generating oncogenic mutations, so-called aberrant somatic hypermutation (aSHM). Additionally, AID has been found to affect gene expression through demethylation as well as altered interactions between gene regulatory elements. These changes have been most thoroughly studied in B-NHL arising from GC B-cells. Here, we describe the most common classes of GC-derived B-NHL and explore the consequences of on- and off-target AID activity in B and plasma cell neoplasms. The relationships between AID expression, including effects of infection and other exposures/agents, mutagenic activity and lymphoma biology are also discussed.