Project description:Disturbed RNA processing and subcellular transport contribute to the pathomechanisms of motoneuron diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and spinal muscular atrophy. RNA-binding proteins are involved in these processes, but the mechanisms how they regulate the subcellular diversity of transcriptomes, in particular in axons, are not understood. hnRNP R interacts with several proteins involved in motoneuron diseases. It is located in axons of developing motoneurons and its depletion causes defects in axon growth. Here, we used iCLIP to determine the RNA interactome of hnRNP R in motoneurons. We identified ~3,500 RNA targets, predominantly with functions in synaptic transmission and axon guidance. Among the RNA targets identified by iCLIP, the non-coding RNA 7SK was the top interactor of hnRNP R. We detected 7SK in the nucleus but also in the cytosol of motoneurons. In axons, 7SK localized in close proximity to hnRNP R and depletion of hnRNP R reduced axonal 7SK. Furthermore, suppression of 7SK led to defective axon growth that was accompanied by axonal transcriptome alterations similar to those caused by hnRNP R depletion. Using a series of 7SK deletion mutants we show that the function of 7SK in axon elongation depends on its interaction with hnRNP R but not with the pTEF-B complex involved in transcriptional regulation. These results propose a role of 7SK as essential interactor of hnRNP R to regulate its function in axon maintenance.
Project description:The P-TEFb complex promotes transcription elongation by releasing paused RNA polymerase II. P-TEFb itself is known to be inactivated through binding to the non-coding RNA 7SK but there is only limited information about mechanisms regulating their association. Here, we show that cells deficient in the RNA-binding protein hnRNP R, a known 7SK interactor, exhibit increased transcription due to phosphorylation of RNA polymerase II. Intriguingly, loss of hnRNP R promotes the release of P-TEFb from 7SK, accompanied by enhanced hnRNP A1 binding to 7SK. Additionally, we found that hnRNP R interacts with BRD4, and that hnRNP R depletion increases BRD4 binding to the P-TEFb component CDK9. Finally, CDK9 is stabilized upon loss of hnRNP R and its association with Cyclin K is enhanced. Together, our results indicate that hnRNP R negatively regulates transcription by modulating the activity and stability of the P-TEFb complex, exemplifying the multimodal regulation of P-TEFb by an RNA-binding protein.
Project description:Neurons critically rely on the functions of RNA-binding proteins to maintain their polarity and resistance to neurotoxic stresses. HnRNP R has a diverse range of post-transcriptional regulatory functions and is important for neuronal development by regulating axon growth. Hnrnpr pre-mRNA undergoes alternative splicing to produce transcripts encoding two isoforms: a full-length protein and a shorter form lacking the N-terminal acidic domain. While the neuronal defects produced by total hnRNP R depletion have been investigated before, the individual functions of each hnRNP R isoforms are unknown. We generated a Hnrnpr knockout mouse (Hnrnprtm1a/tm1a) showing selective loss of the full-length hnRNP R isoform. Motoneurons cultured from Hnrnprtm1a/tm1a mice did not show any axonal growth defects. However, they show an accumulation of double-strand breaks and an impaired DNA damage response. Proteomic analysis of the hnRNP R interactome revealed the multifunctional protein Yb1 as a top interactor. Yb1 depleted motoneurons also exhibit defects in DNA damage repair. We show that Yb1 is recruited to chromatin upon DNA damage, a mechanism that is dependent on full-length hnRNP R. Our findings thus suggest a novel role of hnRNP R in maintaining genomic integrity and highlight the function of its Nterminal acidic domain in this context.
Project description:Neurons critically rely on the functions of RNA-binding proteins to maintain their polarity and resistance to neurotoxic stresses. HnRNP R has a diverse range of post-transcriptional regulatory functions and is important for neuronal development by regulating axon growth. Hnrnpr pre-mRNA undergoes alternative splicing to produce transcripts encoding two protein isoforms: a full-length protein and a shorter form lacking the N-terminal acidic domain. While the neuronal defects produced by total hnRNP R depletion have been investigated before, the individual functions of each hnRNP R isoforms are unknown. We generated a Hnrnpr knockout mouse (Hnrnprtm1a/tm1a) showing selective loss of the full-length hnRNP R isoform. Motoneurons cultured from Hnrnprtm1a/tm1a mice did not show any axonal growth defects. However, they show an accumulation of double-strand breaks and an impaired DNA damage response. Proteomic analysis of the hnRNP R interactome revealed the multifunctional Y-box binding protein 1 (Yb1) as a top interactor. Yb1 depleted motoneurons also exhibit defects in DNA ´damage repair. We show that Yb1 is recruited to chromatin upon DNA damage, a mechanism that is dependent on full length hnRNP R. Our findings thus suggest a novel role of hnRNP R in maintaining genomic integrity and highlight the function of its N-terminal acidic domain in this context.
Project description:The neuronal RNA-binding protein Ptbp2 regulates neuronal differentiation by modulating alternative splicing programs in the nucleus. Such programs contribute to axonogenesis by adjusting the levels of protein isoforms involved in axon growth and branching. While its functions in alternative splicing have been described in detail, cytosolic roles of Ptbp2 for axon growth have remained elusive. Here, we show that Ptbp2 is located in the cytosol and in axons of motoneurons, and that depletion of Ptbp2 affects axon growth. We identified Ptbp2 as a major interactor of the 3' UTR of Hnrnpr mRNA. Axonal localization of Hnrnpr mRNA and local synthesis of hnRNP R protein are strongly reduced when Ptbp2 is depleted, leading to defective axon growth. Ptbp2 regulates hnRNP R translation by mediating the association of Hnrnpr with ribosomes in a manner dependent on the translation factor eIF5A2. Our data thus, suggest a mechanism whereby Ptbp2 modulates axon growth by fine-tuning the mRNA transport and local synthesis of an RNA-binding protein.
Project description:Neuronal function critically depends on coordinated subcellular distribution of mRNAs. Disturbed mRNA processing and axonal transport has been found in spinal muscular atrophy and could be causative for dysfunction and degeneration of motoneurons. Despite the advances made in characterizing the transport mechanisms of several axonal mRNAs, an unbiased approach to identify the axonal repertoire of mRNAs in healthy and degenerating motoneurons has been lacking. Here we used compartmentalized microfluidic chambers to investigate the somatodendritic and axonal mRNA content of cultured motoneurons by microarray analysis. In axons, transcripts related to protein synthesis and energy production were enriched relative to the somatodendritic compartment. Knockdown of Smn, the protein deficient in spinal muscular atrophy, produced a large number of transcript alterations in both compartments. Transcripts related to immune functions, including MHC class I genes, and with roles in RNA splicing were upregulated in the somatodendritic compartment. On the axonal side, transcripts associated with axon growth and synaptic activity were downregulated. These alterations provide evidence that subcellular localization of transcripts with axonal functions as well as regulation of specific transcripts with nonautonomous functions is disturbed in Smn-deficient motoneurons, most likely contributing to the pathophysiology of spinal muscular atrophy.
Project description:1. Evaluate the diagnostic value of long noncoding RNA (CCAT1) expression by RT-PCR in peripheral blood in colorectal cancer patients versus normal healthy control personal.
2. Evaluate the clinical utility of detecting long noncoding RNA (CCAT1) expression in diagnosis of colorectal cancer patients & its relation to tumor staging.
3. Evaluate the clinical utility of detecting long noncoding RNA (CCAT1) expression in precancerous colorectal diseases.
4. Compare long noncoding RNA (CCAT1) expression with traditional marker; carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and Carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) in diagnosis of colorectal cancer.
Project description:Protein inclusions containing the RNA-binding protein TDP-43 are a pathological hallmark of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and other neurodegenerative disorders. The loss of TDP-43 function that is associated with these inclusions affects post-transcriptional processing of RNAs in multiple ways including pre-mRNA splicing, nucleocytoplasmic transport, modulation of mRNA stability and translation. In contrast, less is known about the role of TDP-43 in axonal RNA metabolism in motoneurons. Here we show that depletion of Tdp-43 in primary motoneurons affects axon growth. This defect is accompanied by subcellular transcriptome alterations in the axonal and somatodendritic compartment. The axonal localization of transcripts encoding components of the cytoskeleton, the translational machinery and transcripts involved in mitochondrial energy metabolism were particularly affected by loss of Tdp-43. Accordingly, we observed reduced protein synthesis and disturbed mitochondrial functions in axons of Tdp-43-depleted motoneurons. Treatment with nicotinamide rescued the axon growth defect associated with loss of Tdp-43. These results show that Tdp-43 depletion in motoneurons affects several pathways integral to axon health indicating that loss of TDP-43 function could thus make a major contribution to axonal pathomechanisms in ALS.
Project description:Intronic hexanucleotide expansions in C9ORF72 are common in ALS and FTLD, but it is unknown whether loss of function, toxicity by the expanded RNA or dipeptides from non ATG-initiated translation are responsible for the pathophysiology. We determined the interactome of C9ORF72 in motoneurons and found that C9ORF72 is present in a complex with cofilin and other actin binding proteins. Phosphorylation of cofilin is enhanced in C9ORF72 depleted motoneurons, in patient derived lymphoblastoid cells, iPS cell derived motoneurons and post-mortem brain samples from ALS patients. C9ORF72 modulates the activity of the small GTPases Arf6 and Rac1, resulting in enhanced activity of LIMK1/2. This results in reduced axonal actin dynamics in C9ORF72 depleted motoneurons. Dominant negative Arf6 rescues this defect, suggesting that C9ORF72 acts as a modulator of small GTPases in a pathway that regulates axonal actin dynamics.
Project description:Gene expression requires tight coordination of the molecular machineries that mediate transcription and splicing. While the interplay between transcription kinetics and spliceosome fidelity has been investigated before, less is known about mechanisms regulating the assembly of the spliceosomal machinery in response to transcription changes. Here we report an association of the Smn complex, which mediates spliceosomal snRNP biogenesis, with the 7SK complex involved in transcriptional regulation. We found that Smn interacts with the 7SK core components Larp7 and Mepce and specifically associates with 7SK subcomplexes containing hnRNP R. The association between Smn and 7SK complexes is enhanced upon transcriptional inhibition leading to reduced production of snRNPs. Taken together, our findings reveal a functional association of Smn and 7SK complexes that is governed by global changes in transcription. Thus, in addition to its canonical nuclear role in transcriptional regulation, 7SK has cytosolic functions in fine-tuning spliceosome production according to transcriptional demand.