N-glycosylation is a frequent modification of proteins, essential for all domains of life. N-glycan biosynthesis is a dynamic, complex, non-templated process, wherein specific glycoforms are ...modulated by various microenvironmental cues, cellular signals and local availability of dedicated enzymes and sugar precursors. This intricate regulatory network comprises hundreds of proteins, whose activity is dependent on both sequence of implicated genes and the regulation of their expression. In this regard, variation in N-glycosylation patterns stems from either gene polymorphisms or from stable epigenetic regulation of gene expression in different individuals. Moreover, epigenome alters in response to various environmental factors, representing a direct link between environmental exposure and changes in gene expression, that are subsequently reflected through altered N-glycosylation. N-glycosylation itself has a fundamental role in numerous biological processes, ranging from protein folding, cellular homeostasis, adhesion and immune regulation, to the effector functions in multiple diseases. Moreover, specific modification of the glycan structure can modulate glycoprotein's biological function or direct the faith of the entire cell, as seen on the examples of antibodies and T cells, respectively. Since immunoglobulin G is one of the most profoundly studied glycoproteins in general, the focus of this review will be on its N-glycosylation changes and their functional implications. By deepening the knowledge on the mechanistic roles that certain glycoforms exert in differential pathological processes, valuable insight into molecular perturbations occurring during disease development could be obtained. The prospect of resolving the exact biological pathways involved offers a potential for the development of new therapeutic interventions and molecular tools that would aid in prognosis, early referral and timely treatment of multiple disease conditions.
Most proteins are glycosylated, with glycans being integral structural and functional components of a glycoprotein. In contrast to polypeptides, which are fully encoded by the corresponding gene, ...glycans result from a dynamic interaction between the environment and a network of hundreds of genes.
Recent developments in glycomics, genomics and epigenomics are discussed in the context of an evolutionary advantage for higher eukaryotes over microorganisms, conferred by the complexity and adaptability which glycosylation adds to their proteome.
Inter-individual variation of glycome composition in human population is large; glycome composition is affected by both genes and environment; epigenetic regulation of “glyco-genes” has been demonstrated; and several mechanisms for transgenerational inheritance of epigenetic marks have been documented.
Epigenetic recording of acquired characteristics and their transgenerational inheritance could be important mechanisms used by higher organisms to compete or collaborate with microorganisms.
•The majority of proteins are glycosylated.•Glycan parts of proteins perform numerous structural and functional roles•There are no genetic templates for glycans, instead glycans are defined by dynamic interaction between genes and environment.•Epigenetic changes enable adaptation to variations in environment.•Epigenetic regulation of glyco—genes is a powerful evolutionary tool.
Active fusions of Cas9 orthologs Josipović, Goran; Zoldoš, Vlatka; Vojta, Aleksandar
Journal of biotechnology,
08/2019, Letnik:
301
Journal Article
Recenzirano
•Cas9 guides catalytic domains to their targets only in certain configurations.•Cas9 orthologs SpCas9, SaCas9 and CjCas9 are active in fusion with DNMT3A.•Other tested orthologs (NmCas9, St1Cas9 and ...FnCas9) were inactive.•Nuclear localization is critical for activity of Cas9-based fusion proteins.
Many recent epigenetic studies utilize the advantages of CRISPR/dCas9 based tools in linking certain epigenetic modification with gene expression regulation. Various multifactorial diseases often contain changed epigenetic signatures at many loci, so tools for simultaneously targeting different loci would significantly facilitate the understanding of disease pathogenesis. We tested different dCas9 orthologs (dCjCas9, dNmCas9, dSt1Cas9, dFnCas9, dSaCas9 and dSpCas9) in C-terminal fusion with DNMT3A effector domain to find candidates that potentiate effector domain to perform its function at the target site. We demonstrated that nuclear localization signals (NLS) at both termini of fusion constructs is crucial for both proper nuclear import of such large constructs as well as for maximization of targeted DNA methylation activity. We identified SpCas9, SaCas9 and CjCas9 as potential candidates for the fusion constructs. With further optimization of the SaCas9 ortholog, due to less complex PAM requirements in contrast to CjCas9, we showed that N-terminal fusion with DNMT3A (dSaCas9-DNMT3A) is optimal to exert targeted DNA methylation activity comparable to the dSpCas9-DNMT3A construct. N-terminal fusions showed better results for both Cas9 orthologs, SaCas9 and SpCas9, so it can be used as universal approach for linking different effector domains in order to obtain highly active fusions.
•Recent dCas9-based tools revolutionized the field of (epi)genome editing.•We discuss the newest approaches to gene regulation and epigenetic editing.•Strategies to minimize the off-target effects of ...dCas9-based tools are reviewed.•Characteristics of several Class II Cas9 orthologues are reviewed in detail.
Molecular tools for gene regulation and epigenome editing consist of two main parts: the targeting moiety binding a specific genomic locus and the effector domain performing the editing or regulatory function. The advent of CRISPR-Cas9 technology enabled easy and flexible targeting of almost any locus by co-expression of a small sgRNA molecule, which is complementary to the target sequence and forms a complex with Cas9, directing it to that particular target. Here, we review strategies for recruitment of effector domains, used in gene regulation and epigenome editing, to the dCas9 DNA-targeting protein. To date, the most important CRISPR-Cas9 applications in gene regulation are CRISPR activation or interference, while epigenome editing focuses on targeted changes in DNA methylation and histone modifications. Several strategies for signal amplification by recruitment of multiple effector domains deserve special focus. While some approaches rely on altering the sgRNA molecule and extending it with aptamers for effector domain recruitment, others use modifications to the Cas9 protein by direct fusions with effector domains or by addition of an epitope tag, which also has the ability to bind multiple effector domains. A major barrier to the widespread use of CRISPR-Cas9 technology for therapeutic purposes is its off-target effect. We review efforts to enhance CRISPR-Cas9 specificity by selection of Cas9 orthologs from various bacterial species and their further refinement by introduction of beneficial mutations. The molecular tools available today enable a researcher to choose the best balance of targeting flexibility, activity amplification, delivery method and specificity.
► Glycans play roles in many biological process and are involved in all major diseases. ► Population studies revealed high variability in glycome composition. ► Genomics, epigenomics, glycomics and ...other omics need to be combined. ► First studies integrating glycomics, genomics and epigenetics have been published.
Majority of eukaryotic proteins are glycosylated and their glycan moieties have numerous important structural, functional and regulatory roles. Because of structural complexity of glycans and technological limitations glycomics, and particularly glycoproteomics was not able to follow rapid progress in genomics and proteomics over last 30 years. However, the field of glycan has been progressing rapidly and first large-scale studies of the glycome have been completed recently. These studies have revealed significant differences in glycome composition between individuals, which may contribute to the human phenotypic variability. The current state-of-the-art in high-throughput glycomics and its integration with genomics, epigenomics and lipidomics is reviewed in this article.
Most eukaryotic proteins are modified by covalent addition of glycan molecules that considerably influence their function. Aberrant glycosylation is profoundly involved in malignant transformation, ...tumor progression and metastasis. Some glycan structures are tumor-specific and reflect disturbed glycan biosynthesis pathways.
We analyzed DNA methylation and expression of 86 glyco-genes in melanoma, hepatocellular, breast and cervical cancers using data from publicly available databases. We also analyzed methylation datasets without the available matching expression data for glyco-genes in lung cancer, and progression of melanoma into lymph node and brain metastases.
Ten glyco-genes (GALNT3, GALNT6, GALNT7, GALNT14, MGAT3, MAN1A1, MAN1C1, ST3GAL2, ST6GAL1, ST8SIA3) showing changes in both methylation and expression in the same type of cancer belong to GalNAc transferases, GlcNAc transferases, mannosidases and sialyltransferases, which is in line with changes in glycan structures already reported in the same type of tumors. Some of those genes were additionally identified as potentially valuable for disease prognosis. The MGAT5B gene, so far identified as specifically expressed in brain, emerged as a novel candidate gene that is epigenetically dysregulated in different cancers other than brain cancer. We also report for the first time aberrant expression of the GALNT and MAN genes in cancer by aberrant promoter methylation.
Aberrant expression of glyco-genes due to aberrant promoter methylation could be a way leading to characteristic glycosylation profiles commonly described in cancer.
Methylation status in promoters of candidate glyco-genes might serve as prognostic markers for specific tumors and point to potential novel targets for epigenetic drugs.
This article is part of a Special Issue entitled "Glycans in personalised medicine" Guest Editor: Professor Gordan Lauc.
•Identification of glyco-genes showing changed expression and methylation in different types of cancer•A subset of ten glyco-genes consistently shows both aberrant expression and CpG methylation•Some of the identified genes show potential as prognostic markers in certain types of cancer.
Due to the limited therapeutic options after ischemic stroke, gene therapy has emerged as a promising choice, especially with recent advances in viral vector delivery systems. Therefore, we aimed to ...provide the current state of the art of lentivirus (LV) and adeno-associated virus (AAV) mediated gene interventions in preclinical ischemic stroke models. A systematic analysis including qualitative and quantitative syntheses of studies published until December 2020 was performed. Most of the 87 selected publications used adult male rodents and the preferred stroke model was transient middle cerebral artery occlusion. LV and AAV vectors were equally used for transgene delivery, however loads of AAVs were higher than LVs. Serotypes having broad cell tropism, the use of constitutive promoters, and virus delivery before the stroke induction via stereotaxic injection in the cortex and striatum were preferred in the analyzed studies. The meta-analysis based on infarct volume as the primary outcome confirmed the efficacy of the preclinical interventions. The quality assessment exposed publication bias and setbacks in regard to risks of bias and study relevance. The translational potential could increase by using specific cell targeting, post-stroke interventions, non-invasive systematic delivery, and use of large animals.
Epigenetic studies relied so far on correlations between epigenetic marks and gene expression pattern. Technologies developed for epigenome editing now enable direct study of functional relevance of ...precise epigenetic modifications and gene regulation. The reversible nature of epigenetic modifications, including DNA methylation, has been already exploited in cancer therapy for remodeling the aberrant epigenetic landscape. However, this was achieved non-selectively using epigenetic inhibitors. Epigenetic editing at specific loci represents a novel approach that might selectively and heritably alter gene expression. Here, we developed a CRISPR-Cas9-based tool for specific DNA methylation consisting of deactivated Cas9 (dCas9) nuclease and catalytic domain of the DNA methyltransferase DNMT3A targeted by co-expression of a guide RNA to any 20 bp DNA sequence followed by the NGG trinucleotide. We demonstrated targeted CpG methylation in a ∼35 bp wide region by the fusion protein. We also showed that multiple guide RNAs could target the dCas9-DNMT3A construct to multiple adjacent sites, which enabled methylation of a larger part of the promoter. DNA methylation activity was specific for the targeted region and heritable across mitotic divisions. Finally, we demonstrated that directed DNA methylation of a wider promoter region of the target loci IL6ST and BACH2 decreased their expression.
The majority of all proteins are glycosylated and glycans have numerous important structural, functional and regulatory roles in various physiological processes. While structure of the polypeptide ...part of a glycoprotein is defined by the sequence of nucleotides in the corresponding gene, structure of a glycan part results from dynamic interactions between hundreds of genes, their protein products and environmental factors. The composition of the glycome attached to an individual protein, or to a complex mixture of proteins, like human plasma, is stable within an individual, but very variable between individuals. This variability stems from numerous common genetic polymorphisms reflecting in changes in the complex biosynthetic pathway of glycans, but also from the interaction with the environment. Environment can affect glycan biosynthesis at the level of substrate availability, regulation of enzyme activity and/or hormonal signals, but also through gene-environment interactions. Epigenetics provides a molecular basis how the environment can modify phenotype of an individual. The epigenetic information (DNA methylation pattern and histone code) is especially vulnerable to environmental effects in the early intrauterine and neo-natal development and many common late-onset diseases take root already at that time. The evidences showing the link between epigenetics and glycosylation are accumulating. Recent progress in high-throughput glycomics, genomics and epigenomics enabled first epidemiological and genome-wide association studies of the glycome, which are presented in this mini-review.
Adaptive response to stress is a fundamental property of living systems. At the cellular level, many different types of stress elicit an essentially limited repertoire of adaptive responses. ...Epigenetic changes are the main mechanism for medium- to long-term adaptation to accumulated (intense, long-term, or repeated) stress. We propose the adaptive deregulation of the epigenome in response to stress (ADERS) hypothesis which assumes that the unspecific adaptive stress response grows stronger with the increasing stress level, epigenetically activating response gene clusters while progressively deregulating other cellular processes. The balance between the unspecific adaptive response and the general epigenetic deregulation is critical because a strong response can lead to pathology, particularly to malignant transformation. The main idea of our hypothesis is the continuum traversed by a cell subjected to accumulated stress, which lies between an unspecific adaptive response and pathological deregulation—the two extremes sharing the same underlying cause, which is a manifestation of a unified epigenetically mediated adaptive response to stress. The evolutionary potential of epigenetic regulation in multigenerational adaptation is speculatively discussed in the light of neo-Lamarckism. Finally, an approach to testing the proposed hypothesis is presented, relying on either the publicly available datasets or on conducting new experiments.
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