Project description:RNA structure heterogeneity is a major challenge when querying RNA structures with chemical probing. We introduce DRACO, an algorithm for the deconvolution of coexisting RNA conformations from mutational profiling experiments. Analysis of the SARS-CoV-2 genome using dimethyl sulfate mutational profiling with sequencing (DMS-MaPseq) and DRACO, identifies multiple regions that fold into two mutually exclusive conformations, including a conserved structural switch in the 3′ untranslated region. This work may open the way to dissecting the heterogeneity of the RNA structurome.
Project description:The structures of RNA molecules are often important for their function and regulation, yet there are no experimental techniques for genome-scale measurement of RNA structure. Here, we describe a novel strategy termed Parallel Analysis of RNA Structure (PARS), which is based on deep sequencing fragments of RNAs that were treated with structure-specific enzymes, thus providing simultaneous in-vitro profiling of the secondary structure of thousands of RNA species at single nucleotide resolution. We apply PARS to profile the secondary structure of the mRNAs of the budding yeast S. cerevisiae and obtain structural profiles for over 3000 distinct transcripts. Analysis of these profiles reveals several RNA structural properties of yeast transcripts, including the existence of more secondary structure over coding regions compared to untranslated regions, a three-nucleotide periodicity of secondary structure across coding regions, and a relationship between the efficiency with which an mRNA is translated and the lack of structure over its translation start site. PARS is readily applicable to other organisms and to profiling RNA structure in diverse conditions, thus enabling studies of the dynamics of secondary structure at a genomic scale. RNA sample was treated with one of two structure-specific enzymes (RNase V1 or RNase S1). Four independent V1 experiments and three independent S1 experiments were carried out. Processed data file linked below. Data processing involves merging (or rather log-ratio-ing) the 7 lanes of SOLiD sequencing data against each other. Also linked below are the genome and transcriptome FASTA files used for mapping, and the annotation file having the format: gene_ID, chromosome, start, end, feature. Start and end are 1-based; feature is "Transcript" for the entire transcript (including introns), "Intron", "Exon", "5UTR" or "3UTR". Genome-wide measurement of RNA secondary structure in yeast, Kertesz et al., Nature Volume:467, Pages:103-107, Date published:(02 September 2010) http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v467/n7311/abs/nature09322.html
Project description:The structures of RNA molecules are often important for their function and regulation, yet there are no experimental techniques for genome-scale measurement of RNA structure. Here, we describe a novel strategy termed Parallel Analysis of RNA Structure (PARS), which is based on deep sequencing fragments of RNAs that were treated with structure-specific enzymes, thus providing simultaneous in-vitro profiling of the secondary structure of thousands of RNA species at single nucleotide resolution. We apply PARS to profile the secondary structure of the mRNAs of the budding yeast S. cerevisiae and obtain structural profiles for over 3000 distinct transcripts. Analysis of these profiles reveals several RNA structural properties of yeast transcripts, including the existence of more secondary structure over coding regions compared to untranslated regions, a three-nucleotide periodicity of secondary structure across coding regions, and a relationship between the efficiency with which an mRNA is translated and the lack of structure over its translation start site. PARS is readily applicable to other organisms and to profiling RNA structure in diverse conditions, thus enabling studies of the dynamics of secondary structure at a genomic scale.
Project description:Maladaptive reward seeking is a hallmark of cocaine use disorder. To develop therapeutic targets, it is critical to understand the neurobiological changes specific to cocaine-seeking without altering the seeking of natural rewards, e.g., sucrose. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) and the nucleus accumbens core (NAcore) are known regions associated with cocaine- and sucrose-seeking ensembles, i.e., a sparse population of co-activated neurons. Within ensembles, transcriptomic alterations in the PFC and NAcore underlie the learning and persistence of cocaine- and sucrose-seeking behavior. However, transcriptomes exclusively driving cocaine seeking independent from sucrose seeking have not yet been defined using a within-subject approach. Using Ai14:cFos-TRAP2 transgenic mice in a dual cocaine and sucrose self-administration model, we fluorescently sorted (FACS) and characterized (RNAseq) the transcriptomes defining cocaine- and sucrose-seeking ensembles. We found reward- and region-specific transcriptomic changes that will help develop clinically relevant genetic approaches to decrease cocaine-seeking behavior without altering non-drug reward-based positive reinforcement.
Project description:Cis-regulatory elements (CREs) are bound by diverse chromatin-associated proteins, cooperate to establish gene expression, and change in structure over time to alter cell fate and function1–3. Here, we develop a footprinting framework that uses deep learning to correct Tn5 sequence bias, improving accuracy and reducing false positives. This framework additionally identifies the interaction of DNA with objects of various sizes. Using these ‘multi-scale footprints’ we find that transcription factor (TF) binding occurs at well-defined distances from nucleosomes. Further, we demonstrate that multi-scale footprints, which include the positions of nucleosomes, enable more accurate inference of TF binding. Using multi-scale footprinting with single-cell multi-omics, we discover wide-spread structural and functional changes of CREs across hematopoiesis, wherein nucleosomes slide, expose DNA for TF binding, and promote gene expression. Finally, we apply this single-cell and footprint approach to characterize age-associated structural changes to CREs within hematopoietic stem cells and identify a spectrum of cells harboring age-associated changes to the epigenome. Interestingly, we find extensive changes to the structure of CREs upon aging, with many age-associated changes altering CRE structure while preserving overall accessibility. Collectively, we reveal the dynamics and functional importance of CRE structure, highlighting changes to gene regulation at single-cell and single-base-pair resolution.
Project description:The stable formation of remote fear memories is thought to require neuronal gene induction in cortical ensembles that are activated during learning. However, the set of genes expressed specifically in these activated ensembles is not known; knowledge of such transcriptional profiles may offer insights into the molecular program underlying stable memory formation. Here we use RNA-Seq to identify genes whose expression is enriched in activated cortical ensembles labeled during associative fear learning. We first establish that mouse temporal association cortex (TeA) is required for remote recall of auditory fear memories. We then perform RNA-Seq in TeA neurons that are labeled by the activity reporter Arc-dVenus during learning. We identify 944 genes with enriched expression in Arc-dVenus+ neurons. These genes include markers of L2/3, L5b, and L6 excitatory neurons but not glial or inhibitory markers, confirming Arc-dVenus to be an excitatory neuron-specific, layer non-specific activity reporter. Cross comparisons to other transcriptional profiles show that 125 of the enriched genes are also activity-regulated in vitro or induced by visual stimulus in the visual cortex, suggesting that they may be induced generally in the cortex in an experience-dependent fashion. Prominent among the enriched genes are those encoding potassium channels that down-regulate neuronal activity, suggesting the possibility that part of the molecular program induced by fear conditioning may initiate homeostatic plasticity.
Project description:Eukaryotic RNA molecules undergo multiple regulatory steps prior to being translated as proteins. Two features of post-transcriptional regulation are RNA secondary structure and RNA-binding protein (RBP) interactions with mRNAs. Here we reveal the global landscape of RBP-RNA interactions the bryophyte Physcomitrella patens undergoes as part of its response to the phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA). We show that P. patens undergoes large scale shifts in RNA secondary structure and RBP-RNA interactions as well as identify sites of RBP-RNA interaction and describe enriched motifs, among which are two purine rich sequences. We further elucidate the collection of proteins that bind to these sequences, among which are P. patens cold shock containing proteins. Together, the data suggest that P. patens undergoes a large-scale change in RNA secondary structure and RBP binding as a response to ABA and also identifies CSPs as well as several other proteins as possible regulators of that response.
Project description:Eukaryotic RNA molecules undergo multiple regulatory steps prior to being translated as proteins. Two features of post-transcriptional regulation are RNA secondary structure and RNA-binding protein (RBP) interactions with mRNAs. Here we reveal the global landscape of RBP-RNA interactions the bryophyte Physcomitrella patens undergoes as part of its response to the phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA). We show that P. patens undergoes large scale shifts in RNA secondary structure and RBP-RNA interactions as well as identify sites of RBP-RNA interaction and describe enriched motifs, among which are two purine rich sequences. We further elucidate the collection of proteins that bind to these sequences, among which are P. patens cold shock containing proteins. Together, the data suggest that P. patens undergoes a large-scale change in RNA secondary structure and RBP binding as a response to ABA and also identifies CSPs as well as several other proteins as possible regulators of that response.
Project description:Nuclear receptors function as ligand-regulated transcription factors whose ability to regulate diverse physiological processes is closely linked with conformational changes induced upon ligand binding. Understanding how conformational populations of nuclear receptors are shifted by various ligands could illuminate strategies for the design of synthetic modulators to regulate specific transcriptional programs. Here, we investigate ligand-induced conformational changes using a reconstructed, ancestral nuclear receptor. By making substitutions at a key position, we engineer receptor variants with altered ligand specificities. We use atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations with enhanced sampling to generate ensembles of wildtype and engineered receptors in combination with multiple ligands, followed by conformational analysis and prediction of ligand activity. We combine cellular and biophysical experiments to allow correlation of MD-based predictions with functional ligand profiles, as well as elucidation of mechanisms underlying altered transcription in receptor variants. We determine that conformational ensembles accurately predict ligand responses based on observed population shifts, even within engineered receptors that were constitutively active or transcriptionally unresponsive in experiments. These studies provide a platform which will allow structural characterization of physiologically-relevant conformational ensembles, as well as provide the ability to design and predict transcriptional responses in novel ligands.