Project description:A functional cooperation between an AAA type ATPase domain and a bromodomain has been evidenced. These two domains were identified and their activity tested in a yet uncharacterized factor, named Atad2, whose two-domain configuration remained highly conserved during evolution. In human and mouse, Atad2 is most abundantly expressed in testis and in the mouse. It has also been detected in post-meiotic stages and in mature spermatozoa. The AAA-ATPase domain was found necessary for protein multimerization and high affinity binding to acetylated nucleosomes by its bromodomain. The binding was found specific to acetylated histone H4 tail with a critical role for the acetylated K5 position. In vivo studies show that Atad2 behaves as a general repressor of transcription and possesses a chromatin “freezing” activity. Finally, we demonstrate that the induction of apoptosis leads to an early degradation of Atad2, which probably facilitates the action of apoptotic factors by increasing chromatin dynamics.
Project description:We have sequenced miRNA libraries from human embryonic, neural and foetal mesenchymal stem cells. We report that the majority of miRNA genes encode mature isomers that vary in size by one or more bases at the 3’ and/or 5’ end of the miRNA. Northern blotting for individual miRNAs showed that the proportions of isomiRs expressed by a single miRNA gene often differ between cell and tissue types. IsomiRs were readily co-immunoprecipitated with Argonaute proteins in vivo and were active in luciferase assays, indicating that they are functional. Bioinformatics analysis predicts substantial differences in targeting between miRNAs with minor 5’ differences and in support of this we report that a 5’ isomiR-9-1 gained the ability to inhibit the expression of DNMT3B and NCAM2 but lost the ability to inhibit CDH1 in vitro. This result was confirmed by the use of isomiR-specific sponges. Our analysis of the miRGator database indicates that a small percentage of human miRNA genes express isomiRs as the dominant transcript in certain cell types and analysis of miRBase shows that 5’ isomiRs have replaced canonical miRNAs many times during evolution. This strongly indicates that isomiRs are of functional importance and have contributed to the evolution of miRNA genes
Project description:We have sequenced miRNA libraries from human embryonic, neural and foetal mesenchymal stem cells. We report that the majority of miRNA genes encode mature isomers that vary in size by one or more bases at the 3’ and/or 5’ end of the miRNA. Northern blotting for individual miRNAs showed that the proportions of isomiRs expressed by a single miRNA gene often differ between cell and tissue types. IsomiRs were readily co-immunoprecipitated with Argonaute proteins in vivo and were active in luciferase assays, indicating that they are functional. Bioinformatics analysis predicts substantial differences in targeting between miRNAs with minor 5’ differences and in support of this we report that a 5’ isomiR-9-1 gained the ability to inhibit the expression of DNMT3B and NCAM2 but lost the ability to inhibit CDH1 in vitro. This result was confirmed by the use of isomiR-specific sponges. Our analysis of the miRGator database indicates that a small percentage of human miRNA genes express isomiRs as the dominant transcript in certain cell types and analysis of miRBase shows that 5’ isomiRs have replaced canonical miRNAs many times during evolution. This strongly indicates that isomiRs are of functional importance and have contributed to the evolution of miRNA genes Sequence library of miRNAs from a single sample of human foetal mesenchymal stem cells. Results tested and confirmed by northern blotting. Please note that only raw data files are available for the embryonic and neual samples and thus, directly submitted to SRA (SRX547311, SRX548700, respectively under SRP042115/PRJNA247767)
Project description:SMARCA2 and SMARCA4 are two mutually exclusive ATPase subunits of SWI/SNF complex. SMARCA4 deficient lung cancer population selectively depend on SMARCA2 for cancer growth phenotype. Rescue experiments with ectopic expression of wild-type, bromodomain mutant and ATPase dead SMARCA2 and SMARCA4 highlight that ATPase domain is the drug target. In this study, we performed genome-wide microarray and differential gene expression profiling on isogenic lung cancer lines expressing cDNA rescue constructs for wild-type, bromodomain mutant and ATPase dead SMARCA2 and SMARCA4