Project description:We performed next-generation sequencing of cytoplasmic fractions of primary human RPE cells. Cytoplasmic sample were size-fractionated on a Blue Pippin device (Sage Science) for size restriction to 200–800-nt long species to eliminate genomic DNA contamination and embedded Alu elements. We found that Alu S predominated (61% of Alu reads), with lower levels of Alu J (31%) and Alu Y (8%). No significant difference in the overall distribution of these Alu sequences that mapped to RPE-specific 47 and non-RPE-specific genes was observed. However, we did identify a cluster of Alu sequences within 2,000 bp of 7 single-nucleotide variant loci statistically associated with AMD48.
Project description:An extrachromosomal replication system was established to examine the perturbation of Alu-carrying genes in response to elevated Alu RNAs in the opposite direction. The null hypothesis is that the Alu-carrying RNA duplex cannot trigger subsequent post-transcriptional regulation, manifesting a random perturbation of expression levels. Comparing HEK293 cells transfected and not-transfected with pDR2-Alu vectors.
Project description:Cytoplasmic fraction of Flag-ZNF268a-transfected HEK293T cells 6h post SeV infection were used for IP followed by LC-MS identification for ZNF268a interacting proteins
Project description:Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cell integrity is critical to the maintenance of retinal function. Many retinopathies such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) are caused by the degeneration or malfunction of the RPE cell layer. Replacement of diseased RPE with healthy, stem cell derived RPE is a potential therapeutic strategy for treating AMD. Human embryonic stem cells (hESC) differentiated into RPE progeny have potential to provide an unlimited supply of cells for transplantation but challenges around scalability and efficiency of the differentiation process still remain. Using hESC-derived RPE as a cellular model, we sought to understand mechanisms that could be modulated to increase RPE yield following differentiation. Our data show that activation of the cAMP pathway increases proliferation of dissociated RPE in culture, in part through inhibition of TGFβ signalling. This in turn results in enhanced uptake of epithelial identity. In line with these findings, targeted manipulation of the TGFβ pathway with small molecules produces an increase in efficiency of RPE re-epithelialization. Taken together, these data highlight mechanisms that promote epithelial fate acquisition in stem cell derived RPE. Modulation of these pathways has potential to favorably impact upon scalability and clinical translation of hESC-derived RPE as a cell therapy. A sample of Gene Pool™ cDNA, from human fetal normal brain tissue (Invitrogen D8830-01) is included for reference.
Project description:Alu element is a major contributor to lineage-specific new exons in the primate and human genomes. Recent studies indicate that some Alu exons have high transcript inclusion levels or tissue-specific splicing profiles, and may play important regulatory roles in modulating mRNA degradation or translational efficiency. However, the contribution of Alu exons to the human proteome remains unclear and controversial. The prevailing view is that exons derived from young repetitive elements (such as Alu) are restricted to regulatory functions but do not have adequate evolutionary time to be incorporated into stable, functional proteins. In this work, we adopt a proteotranscriptomics approach to systematically assess the contribution of Alu exons to the human proteome. Using RNA sequencing, ribosome profiling, and mass spectrometry data of diverse human tissues and cell lines, we provide evidence for the translational activities of Alu exons and the presence of Alu exon derived peptides in human proteins. These Alu exon peptides represent species-specific protein differences between primates and other mammals, and in certain instances even between humans and closely related nonhuman primates. In the RNA editing enzyme ADARB1, which contains an Alu exon peptide in its catalytic domain, RNA editing analyses of RNA-sequencing data demonstrate that both the Alu exon skipping and inclusion isoforms encode active RNA editing enzymes, while the Alu exon peptide may fine tune the editing activities of the ADARB1 protein products . Together, our data indicate that Alu elements have contributed to the acquisition of novel protein sequences during primate and human evolution. Comparing the A-I RNA editing levels during HEK293 (control), ADARB1 long isoform (with Alu exon) transfected, and short isoform (without Alu exon) transfected cells, each group has 3 replicates.
Project description:Retinal Pigment Epithelial (RPE) cells are located behind the retina and are critical for photoreceptor survival. Loss of RPE is associated with several pathogenic conditions such as Age Related Macular Degeneration and Retinitis Pigmentosa. RPE derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESC) offer a potential source for producing these cells for therapy. Here we report the molecular and cellular characterization of RPE differentiated from hESC. hESC derived RPE are capable of proliferation and lose their epithelial characteristics before becoming confluent and re-differentiating back into their typical pigmented, cobblestoned appearance. During the proliferative phase, they adopt a mesenchymal morphology and express mesenchymal markers. Our results demonstrate that this apparent Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition is not regulated by the classical EMT transcription factors SNAIL and SLUG. Furthermore, it is possible to regulate RPE de-differentiation and re-differentiation by modulating the Wnt and BMP pathway respectively. These findings further our understanding of the genesis and expansion of RPE which is essential for their therapeutic use.
Project description:Dysfunction of the retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) results in degeneration of photoreceptors and vision loss and is correlated with common blinding disorders in humans. Although many protein-coding genes are known to be expressed in RPEs and important for their development and maintenance, virtually nothing is known about the in vivo roles of non-protein coding transcripts in RPEs. The expression patterns of microRNAs (miRNAs) have been analyzed in a variety of ocular tissues, and few were implicated to play role in RPE based on studies in cell lines. Herein, through RPE specific conditional mutagenesis of Dicer1 or DGCR8, the importance of miRNA for RPE differentiation was uncovered. Interestingly, miRNAs were found to be dispensable for maintaining the RPE fate and survival, and yet they are essential for acquisition of important RPE properties such as the expression of genes involved in the visual cycle pathway, pigmentation and cell adhesion. Importantly miRNAs of the RPE were found to be required for maturation of the adjacent photoreceptors, specifically for the morphogenesis of the outer segments. The profiles of miRNA and mRNA altered in the Dicer1 deficient RPE point to a key role of miR-204 in regulation of RPE differentiation program in vivo and uncovers the importance of additional novel RPE miRNAs. The study exposes the combined regulatory activity of miRNAs of the RPE, which is required for RPE differentiation and for the development of the adjacent neuroretina. Effect of Dicer 1 deficiency on RPE miRNA and mRNA.
Project description:Dysfunction of the retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) results in degeneration of photoreceptors and vision loss and is correlated with common blinding disorders in humans. Although many protein-coding genes are known to be expressed in RPEs and important for their development and maintenance, virtually nothing is known about the in vivo roles of non-protein coding transcripts in RPEs. The expression patterns of microRNAs (miRNAs) have been analyzed in a variety of ocular tissues, and few were implicated to play role in RPE based on studies in cell lines. Herein, through RPE specific conditional mutagenesis of Dicer1 or DGCR8, the importance of miRNA for RPE differentiation was uncovered. Interestingly, miRNAs were found to be dispensable for maintaining the RPE fate and survival, and yet they are essential for acquisition of important RPE properties such as the expression of genes involved in the visual cycle pathway, pigmentation and cell adhesion. Importantly miRNAs of the RPE were found to be required for maturation of the adjacent photoreceptors, specifically for the morphogenesis of the outer segments. The profiles of miRNA and mRNA altered in the Dicer1 deficient RPE point to a key role of miR-204 in regulation of RPE differentiation program in vivo and uncovers the importance of additional novel RPE miRNAs. The study exposes the combined regulatory activity of miRNAs of the RPE, which is required for RPE differentiation and for the development of the adjacent neuroretina. Effect of Dicer 1 deficiency on RPE miRNA and mRNA.
Project description:An extrachromosomal replication system was established to examine the perturbation of Alu-carrying genes in response to elevated Alu RNAs in the opposite direction. The null hypothesis is that the Alu-carrying RNA duplex cannot trigger subsequent post-transcriptional regulation, manifesting a random perturbation of expression levels.