Project description:In eukaryotes, regulation of mRNA translation initiation greatly impacts gene expression, and is critical for cellular stress responses. DDX3X is a ubiquitous DEAD-box RNA helicase whose precise role in 5´ UTR scanning and start codon decoding in non-stressed and stressed cells is still elusive. Here we show that DDX3X engages with thousands of mRNAs as part of the 48S scanning complex, simultaneously acting to promote or suppress translation of select mRNAs in non-stressed conditions, and switches this regulation in opposite directions to establish a stress response translational program upon acute ER stress. We find distinct DDX3X binding patterns of differentially regulated mRNAs, which lead us to identify N4-acetylation of cytidines surrounding the start codon as a crucial feature for DDX3X-mediated selective regulation. Our findings highlight a novel co-dependence between an RNA helicase and a post-transcriptional modification in regulating mRNA translation
Project description:In eukaryotes, regulation of mRNA translation initiation greatly impacts gene expression, and is critical for cellular stress responses. DDX3X is a ubiquitous DEAD-box RNA helicase whose precise role in 5´ UTR scanning and start codon decoding in non-stressed and stressed cells is still elusive. Here we show that DDX3X engages with thousands of mRNAs as part of the 48S scanning complex, simultaneously acting to promote or suppress translation of select mRNAs in non-stressed conditions, and switches this regulation in opposite directions to establish a stress response translational program upon acute ER stress. We find distinct DDX3X binding patterns of differentially regulated mRNAs, which lead us to identify N4-acetylation of cytidines surrounding the start codon as a crucial feature for DDX3X-mediated selective regulation. Our findings highlight a novel co-dependence between an RNA helicase and a post-transcriptional modification in regulating mRNA translation
Project description:In eukaryotes, regulation of mRNA translation initiation greatly impacts gene expression, and is critical for cellular stress responses. DDX3X is a ubiquitous DEAD-box RNA helicase whose precise role in 5´ UTR scanning and start codon decoding in non-stressed and stressed cells is still elusive. Here we show that DDX3X engages with thousands of mRNAs as part of the 48S scanning complex, simultaneously acting to promote or suppress translation of select mRNAs in non-stressed conditions, and switches this regulation in opposite directions to establish a stress response translational program upon acute ER stress. We find distinct DDX3X binding patterns of differentially regulated mRNAs, which lead us to identify N4-acetylation of cytidines surrounding the start codon as a crucial feature for DDX3X-mediated selective regulation. Our findings highlight a novel co-dependence between an RNA helicase and a post-transcriptional modification in regulating mRNA translation
Project description:Whole-genome sequencing recently identified recurrent missense mutations in the RNA helicase DDX3X in pediatric medulloblastoma (MB) and other tumors. The normal function of DDX3X is poorly understood, and the consequences of its cancer-associated mutations have not been explored. Here we used genomic, biochemical, cell biological, and animal modeling approaches to investigate normal DDX3X function and the impact of cancer-associated DDX3X mutations. Cross-linking immunoprecipitation–high-throughput sequencing (CLIPseq) analyses revealed that DDX3X binds primarily to ~1000 mature mRNA targets at binding sites spanning the full mRNA length; their enrichment in the coding regions suggests that DDX3X plays a role in translational elongation. The association of wild-type DDX3X with polysomes is consistent with this observation. Cancer-associated mutations result in loss of DDX3X from polysomes and accumulation of mutant DDX3X in stress granules (cytoplasmic accumulations of translationally arrested mRNAs). Mutation-dependent redistribution of DDX3X to stress granules is also observed in a Drosophila model system and in MB tumor cells from patients carrying DDX3X mutations. Importantly, mRNAs targeted by DDX3X are enriched in translation factors, suggesting that DDX3X regulates translation both directly and indirectly. Indeed, depletion of DDX3X by RNAi or over-expression of mutant DDX3X significantly impairs global protein synthesis. Ribosome profiling confirmed this observation and showed a 5’ bias in ribosomal occupancy, further confirming the role of DDX3X in translational elongation. Together, our data show that DDX3X is a key regulator of translation and that this function is impaired by cancer-associated mutations. Finally, we found that medulloblastoma-related mutant DDX3X can efficiently bind the wild-type form suggesting that mutant DDX3X could exert a dominant negative effect in vivo.
Project description:Whole-genome sequencing recently identified recurrent missense mutations in the RNA helicase DDX3X in pediatric medulloblastoma (MB) and other tumors. The normal function of DDX3X is poorly understood, and the consequences of its cancer-associated mutations have not been explored. Here we used genomic, biochemical, cell biological, and animal modeling approaches to investigate normal DDX3X function and the impact of cancer-associated DDX3X mutations. Cross-linking immunoprecipitation–high-throughput sequencing (CLIPseq) analyses revealed that DDX3X binds primarily to ~1000 mature mRNA targets at binding sites spanning the full mRNA length; their enrichment in the coding regions suggests that DDX3X plays a role in translational elongation. The association of wild-type DDX3X with polysomes is consistent with this observation. Cancer-associated mutations result in loss of DDX3X from polysomes and accumulation of mutant DDX3X in stress granules (cytoplasmic accumulations of translationally arrested mRNAs). Mutation-dependent redistribution of DDX3X to stress granules is also observed in a Drosophila model system and in MB tumor cells from patients carrying DDX3X mutations. Importantly, mRNAs targeted by DDX3X are enriched in translation factors, suggesting that DDX3X regulates translation both directly and indirectly. Indeed, depletion of DDX3X by RNAi or over-expression of mutant DDX3X significantly impairs global protein synthesis. Ribosome profiling confirmed this observation and showed a 5’ bias in ribosomal occupancy, further confirming the role of DDX3X in translational elongation. Together, our data show that DDX3X is a key regulator of translation and that this function is impaired by cancer-associated mutations. Finally, we found that medulloblastoma-related mutant DDX3X can efficiently bind the wild-type form suggesting that mutant DDX3X could exert a dominant negative effect in vivo.
Project description:Whole-genome sequencing recently identified recurrent missense mutations in the RNA helicase DDX3X in pediatric medulloblastoma (MB) and other tumors. The normal function of DDX3X is poorly understood, and the consequences of its cancer-associated mutations have not been explored. Here we used genomic, biochemical, cell biological, and animal modeling approaches to investigate normal DDX3X function and the impact of cancer-associated DDX3X mutations. Cross-linking immunoprecipitation–high-throughput sequencing (CLIPseq) analyses revealed that DDX3X binds primarily to ~1000 mature mRNA targets at binding sites spanning the full mRNA length; their enrichment in the coding regions suggests that DDX3X plays a role in translational elongation. The association of wild-type DDX3X with polysomes is consistent with this observation. Cancer-associated mutations result in loss of DDX3X from polysomes and accumulation of mutant DDX3X in stress granules (cytoplasmic accumulations of translationally arrested mRNAs). Mutation-dependent redistribution of DDX3X to stress granules is also observed in a Drosophila model system and in MB tumor cells from patients carrying DDX3X mutations. Importantly, mRNAs targeted by DDX3X are enriched in translation factors, suggesting that DDX3X regulates translation both directly and indirectly. Indeed, depletion of DDX3X by RNAi or over-expression of mutant DDX3X significantly impairs global protein synthesis. Ribosome profiling confirmed this observation and showed a 5’ bias in ribosomal occupancy, further confirming the role of DDX3X in translational elongation. Together, our data show that DDX3X is a key regulator of translation and that this function is impaired by cancer-associated mutations. Finally, we found that medulloblastoma-related mutant DDX3X can efficiently bind the wild-type form suggesting that mutant DDX3X could exert a dominant negative effect in vivo.
Project description:Sex differences influence congenital heart disease (CHD) development, yet underlying molecular mechanisms remain largely unclear. We demonstrate that the X-linked RNA helicase DDX3X associates in the heart with ribosomal subunit proteins, and eCLIP mapping reveals its preferential binding to cardiac mRNAs with long, structured 5′ untranslated regions (5′UTRs) that can hinder translation. Using a cardiomyocyte-specific mouse Ddx3x knockout model, we show that female embryos lacking Ddx3x die at mid-gestation from heart failure due to impaired translation of key cardiac regulators, whereas male littermates survive. Ribosome profiling and proteomics demonstrate that DDX3X is required for efficient translation of female-differential cardiac mRNAs. Reporter assays confirm that translation of essential cardiac genes such as Srf and Rcor2 depends on their 5′ UTRs and requires DDX3X. These findings uncover a sex-specific post-transcriptional mechanism by which DDX3X safeguards female heart development through selective mRNA translation, providing insight into how X-linked dosage-sensitive regulators contribute to CHD.
Project description:Sex differences influence congenital heart disease (CHD) development, yet underlying molecular mechanisms remain largely unclear. We demonstrate that the X-linked RNA helicase DDX3X associates in the heart with ribosomal subunit proteins, and eCLIP mapping reveals its preferential binding to cardiac mRNAs with long, structured 5′ untranslated regions (5′UTRs) that can hinder translation. Using a cardiomyocyte-specific mouse Ddx3x knockout model, we show that female embryos lacking Ddx3x die at mid-gestation from heart failure due to impaired translation of key cardiac regulators, whereas male littermates survive. Ribosome profiling and proteomics demonstrate that DDX3X is required for efficient translation of female-differential cardiac mRNAs. Reporter assays confirm that translation of essential cardiac genes such as Srf and Rcor2 depends on their 5′ UTRs and requires DDX3X. These findings uncover a sex-specific post-transcriptional mechanism by which DDX3X safeguards female heart development through selective mRNA translation, providing insight into how X-linked dosage-sensitive regulators contribute to CHD.