Whereas chromosomal translocations are common pathogenetic events in cancer, mechanisms that promote them are poorly understood. To elucidate translocation mechanisms in mammalian cells, we developed ...high-throughput, genome-wide translocation sequencing (HTGTS). We employed HTGTS to identify tens of thousands of independent translocation junctions involving fixed I-SceI meganuclease-generated DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) within the
c-myc oncogene or
IgH locus of B lymphocytes induced for activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID)-dependent
IgH class switching. DSBs translocated widely across the genome but were preferentially targeted to transcribed chromosomal regions. Additionally, numerous AID-dependent and AID-independent hot spots were targeted, with the latter comprising mainly cryptic I-SceI targets. Comparison of translocation junctions with genome-wide nuclear run-ons revealed a marked association between transcription start sites and translocation targeting. The majority of translocation junctions were formed via end-joining with short microhomologies. Our findings have implications for diverse fields, including gene therapy and cancer genomics.
Display omitted
► A new genome-wide sequencing technique identifies translocations ► DSBs translocate preferentially to transcription start sites ► End-joining with microhomologies joins DSB-induced translocations ► Translocation hot spots in primary B cells targeted by AID activity
A new method detects thousands of chromosomal translocations, showing that they home to transcriptional start sites, AID-dependent hot spots, and gene-rich regions.
N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most abundant internal modification of mRNAs and is implicated in all aspects of post-transcriptional RNA metabolism. However, little is known about m6A modifications ...to circular (circ) RNAs. We developed a computational pipeline (AutoCirc) that, together with depletion of ribosomal RNA and m6A immunoprecipitation, defined thousands of m6A circRNAs with cell-type-specific expression. The presence of m6A circRNAs is corroborated by interaction between circRNAs and YTHDF1/YTHDF2, proteins that read m6A sites in mRNAs, and by reduced m6A levels upon depletion of METTL3, the m6A writer. Despite sharing m6A readers and writers, m6A circRNAs are frequently derived from exons that are not methylated in mRNAs, whereas mRNAs that are methylated on the same exons that compose m6A circRNAs exhibit less stability in a process regulated by YTHDF2. These results expand our understanding of the breadth of m6A modifications and uncover regulation of circRNAs through m6A modification.
Display omitted
•N6-adenosine methylation (m6A) is widespread in circRNAs•circRNAs exhibit patterns of m6A modifications that are distinct from those of mRNAs•m6A circRNAs are expressed in cell-type-specific patterns•m6A modifications are written and read by the same complexes in circRNAs and mRNAs
Zhou et al. find that N6-adenosine methylation (m6A) is widespread in circular (circ) RNAs and exhibits cell-type-specific patterns of expression. m6A modifications are written and read by the same protein complexes that interact with mRNAs, but many sites of m6A modifications in circRNAs are distinct from those in mRNAs.
Transcription factors (TFs) bind specific sequences in promoter-proximal and -distal DNA elements to regulate gene transcription. RNA is transcribed from both of these DNA elements, and some DNA ...binding TFs bind RNA. Hence, RNA transcribed from regulatory elements may contribute to stable TF occupancy at these sites. We show that the ubiquitously expressed TF Yin-Yang 1 (YY1) binds to both gene regulatory elements and their associated RNA species across the entire genome. Reduced transcription of regulatory elements diminishes YY1 occupancy, whereas artificial tethering of RNA enhances YY1 occupancy at these elements. We propose that RNA makes a modest but important contribution to the maintenance of certain TFs at gene regulatory elements and suggest that transcription of regulatory elements produces a positive-feedback loop that contributes to the stability of gene expression programs.
Genetic humanization, which involves replacing mouse genes with their human counterparts, can create powerful animal models for the study of human genes and diseases. One important example of genetic ...humanization involves mice humanized for their Ig genes, allowing for human antibody responses within a mouse background (HumAb mice) and also providing a valuable platform for the generation of fully human antibodies as therapeutics. However, existing HumAb mice do not have fully functional immune systems, perhaps because of the manner in which they were genetically humanized. Heretofore, most genetic humanizations have involved disruption of the endogenous mouse gene with simultaneous introduction of a human transgene at a new and random location (so-called KO-plus-transgenic humanization). More recent efforts have attempted to replace mouse genes with their human counterparts at the same genetic location (in situ humanization), but such efforts involved laborious procedures and were limited in size and precision. We describe a general and efficient method for very large, in situ, and precise genetic humanization using large compound bacterial artificial chromosome–based targeting vectors introduced into mouse ES cells. We applied this method to genetically humanize 3-Mb segments of both the mouse heavy and κ light chain Ig loci, by far the largest genetic humanizations ever described. This paper provides a detailed description of our genetic humanization approach, and the companion paper reports that the humoral immune systems of mice bearing these genetically humanized loci function as efficiently as those of WT mice.
Many long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) species have been identified in mammalian cells, but the genomic origin and regulation of these molecules in individual cell types is poorly understood. We have ...generated catalogs of lncRNA species expressed in human and murine embryonic stem cells and mapped their genomic origin. A surprisingly large fraction of these transcripts (>60%) originate from divergent transcription at promoters of active protein-coding genes. The divergently transcribed lncRNA/mRNA gene pairs exhibit coordinated changes in transcription when embryonic stem cells are differentiated into endoderm. Our results reveal that transcription of most lncRNA genes is coordinated with transcription of protein-coding genes.
N(6)-Methyladenosine (m(6)A) is a widespread, reversible chemical modification of RNA molecules, implicated in many aspects of RNA metabolism. Little quantitative information exists as to either how ...many transcript copies of particular genes are m(6)A modified ('m(6)A levels') or the relationship of m(6)A modification(s) to alternative RNA isoforms. To deconvolute the m(6)A epitranscriptome, we developed m(6)A-level and isoform-characterization sequencing (m(6)A-LAIC-seq). We found that cells exhibit a broad range of nonstoichiometric m(6)A levels with cell-type specificity. At the level of isoform characterization, we discovered widespread differences in the use of tandem alternative polyadenylation (APA) sites by methylated and nonmethylated transcript isoforms of individual genes. Strikingly, there is a strong bias for methylated transcripts to be coupled with proximal APA sites, resulting in shortened 3' untranslated regions, while nonmethylated transcript isoforms tend to use distal APA sites. m(6)A-LAIC-seq yields a new perspective on transcriptome complexity and links APA usage to m(6)A modifications.
N6-methyl-adenosine (m(6)A) is the most abundant modification on messenger RNAs and is linked to human diseases, but its functions in mammalian development are poorly understood. Here we reveal the ...evolutionary conservation and function of m(6)A by mapping the m(6)A methylome in mouse and human embryonic stem cells. Thousands of messenger and long noncoding RNAs show conserved m(6)A modification, including transcripts encoding core pluripotency transcription factors. m(6)A is enriched over 3' untranslated regions at defined sequence motifs and marks unstable transcripts, including transcripts turned over upon differentiation. Genetic inactivation or depletion of mouse and human Mettl3, one of the m(6)A methylases, led to m(6)A erasure on select target genes, prolonged Nanog expression upon differentiation, and impaired ESC exit from self-renewal toward differentiation into several lineages in vitro and in vivo. Thus, m(6)A is a mark of transcriptome flexibility required for stem cells to differentiate to specific lineages.
V(D)J recombination assembles antigen receptor variable region genes from component germline variable (V), diversity (D), and joining (J) gene segments. For B cells, such rearrangements lead to the ...production of immunoglobulin (Ig) proteins composed of heavy and light chains. V(D)J is tightly controlled at the Ig heavy chain locus (IgH) at several different levels, including cell-type specificity, intra- and interlocus ordering, and allelic exclusion. Such controls are mediated at the level of gene segment accessibility to V(D)J recombinase activity. Although much has been learned, many long-standing questions regarding the regulation of IgH locus rearrangements remain to be elucidated. In this review, we summarize advances that have been made in understanding how V(D)J recombination at the IgH locus is controlled and discuss important areas for future investigation.
Immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) variable region exons are assembled from V(H), D and J(H) gene segments in developing B lymphocytes. Within the 2.7-megabase mouse Igh locus, V(D)J recombination is ...regulated to ensure specific and diverse antibody repertoires. Here we report in mice a key Igh V(D)J recombination regulatory region, termed intergenic control region 1 (IGCR1), which lies between the V(H) and D clusters. Functionally, IGCR1 uses CTCF looping/insulator factor-binding elements and, correspondingly, mediates Igh loops containing distant enhancers. IGCR1 promotes normal B-cell development and balances antibody repertoires by inhibiting transcription and rearrangement of D(H)-proximal V(H) gene segments and promoting rearrangement of distal V(H) segments. IGCR1 maintains ordered and lineage-specific V(H)(D)J(H) recombination by suppressing V(H) joining to D segments not joined to J(H) segments, and V(H) to DJ(H) joins in thymocytes, respectively. IGCR1 is also required for feedback regulation and allelic exclusion of proximal V(H)-to-DJ(H) recombination. Our studies elucidate a long-sought Igh V(D)J recombination control region and indicate a new role for the generally expressed CTCF protein.
N
-methyladenosine-sequencing (m
A-seq) is a critical tool to obtain an unbiased genome-wide picture of m
A sites of modification at high resolution. It allows the study of the impact of various ...perturbations on m
A modification distribution and the study of m
A functions. Herein, we describe the m
A-seq protocol, which entails RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) performed on fragmented poly(A) RNA utilizing anti-m
A antibodies. The captured/enriched m
A positive RNA fragments are subsequently sequenced by RNA-seq in parallel with background control non-immunoprecipitated input RNA fragments. Analyses reveal peaks of m
A enrichment containing sites of modifications analogous to chromatin modification immunoprecipitation experiments.
PDF
