Caspases,which play key roles in cell apoptosis,undergo alternative splicing to form different splicing variants that can regulate the apoptotic process.Lepidopteran insect caspases undergo alternative splicing,althou...Caspases,which play key roles in cell apoptosis,undergo alternative splicing to form different splicing variants that can regulate the apoptotic process.Lepidopteran insect caspases undergo alternative splicing,although the functions of their splicing variants are still unclear.The Spodoptera exigua caspase-5(SeCaspase-5)gene was cloned and found to produce four different splicing variants with different gene sequences and protein functional domains,which were named SeCaspase-5a,SeCaspase-5b,SeCaspase-5c and SeCaspase-5d.Overexpression of these variants in S.exigua cells(Se-3)showed that SeCaspase-5a had a proapoptotic function,whereas SeCaspase-5b,SeCaspase-5c and SeCaspase-5d did not.Semi-qPCR analysis revealed that the expression of the SeCaspase-5 variants significantly differed during Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus(AcMNPV)infection.Furthermore,the SeCaspase-5 variants were constructed into the AcMNPV bacmid and transfected into Se-3 cells,which revealed that SeCaspase-5a promoted cell apoptosis and reduced virus production,whereas SeCaspase-5b,SeCaspase-5c and SeCaspase-5d did not promote cell apoptosis but instead increased virus production.Moreover,an analysis of the interactions between the SeCaspase-5 variants revealed that SeCaspase-5a directly interacted with SeCaspase-5b,SeCaspase-5c and SeCaspase-5d.Coexpression of these variants in Se-3 cells also revealed that SeCaspase-5b,SeCaspase-5c and SeCaspase-5d inhibited the proapoptotic function of SeCaspase-5a,resulting in a reduction in the percentage of apoptotic cells by about 20%.These results indicate that SeCaspase-5 undergoes alternative splicing and is involved in regulating the apoptosis induced by baculovirus infection.These findings increase our understanding of the functions of lepidopteran insect caspases and provide new insights into the mechanism of host-cell apoptosis induced by baculoviruses.展开更多
Heat stress is a major threat to maize(Zea mays L.)production worldwide.Heat shock transcription factors(HSFs)play vital roles in plant responses to heat stress.However,the molecular and genetic mechanisms underlying ...Heat stress is a major threat to maize(Zea mays L.)production worldwide.Heat shock transcription factors(HSFs)play vital roles in plant responses to heat stress.However,the molecular and genetic mechanisms underlying HSF-meditated thermotolerance in maize remain largely unexplored.In this study,we demonstrate that the alternative splicing of ZmHsf23 modulates heat stress tolerance in maize.Hsf23 produced two functional transcripts,Hsf23L and Hsf23S,which differ by the presence of a cryptic mini-exon in Hsf23L that is spliced out in Hsf23S.Both transcripts were strongly induced by heat stress.Mutants lacking Hsf23L alone(hsf23l)or both Hsf23L and Hsf23S(hsf23l23s)exhibited increased susceptibility to heat stress,whereas overexpression of Hsf23S enhanced heat stress tolerance in maize.Subsequently,we found that Hsf23S positively regulates heat stress tolerance by directly activating the transcription of three sHSP genes(Hsp16.9,Hsp17.2,and Hsp18a)and TIL1 gene.In addition,Hsf23L physically interacted with Hsf23S and enhanced the transcriptional activation of Hsf23S on the sHSPs and TIL1 promoters.Notably,genetic analysis suggested that co-overexpression of Hsf23L and Hsf23S further improves heat tolerance of the transgenic plants.Taken together,these results reveal two splicing variants of ZmHsf23 cooperatively regulate maize heat tolerance,thus highlighting potential value of ZmHsf23 in breeding heat-tolerant maize varieties.展开更多
Background:Alterations in splicing factors contribute to aberrant alternative splicing(AS),which subsequently promotes tumor progression.The splicing factor polypyrimidine tract binding protein 1(PTBP1)has been shown ...Background:Alterations in splicing factors contribute to aberrant alternative splicing(AS),which subsequently promotes tumor progression.The splicing factor polypyrimidine tract binding protein 1(PTBP1)has been shown to facilitate cancer progression by modulating oncogenic variants.However,its specific role and underlying mechanisms in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)remain to be elucidated.Methods:PTBP1 expression was evaluated in HCC tissues and cell lines.Subsequently,cells were transfected with vectors designed for PTBP1 overexpression or downregulation.The biological function of PTBP1 was assessed in vitro and in vivo using MTS assays,colony formation assays,transwell assays,xenograft formation,tail vein injection,and orthotopic models.Transcriptome analysis was conducted to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms.Results:Our findings demonstrated that PTBP1 exhibited elevated expression in HCC cell lines and tissues.Furthermore,its expression positively correlated with overall and disease-free survival rates,as well as tumor grade and stage.PTBP1 knockdown reduced HCC cell proliferation,migration,and invasion in vitro and suppressed hepatocarcinoma xenograft growth and infiltration in vivo.RNA sequencing(RNA-Seq)analysis identified the AS events associated with PTBP1.PTBP1 functionally enhanced cell proliferation,invasion,and migration by modulating the AS of the microtubule-associated protein tau(MAPT)gene and promoting oncogene expression.Notably,the dysregulation of MAPT splicing coincided with increased PTBP1 expression in HCC.Conclusions:PTBP1-guided AS of the MAPT gene enhances tumorigenicity in HCC through activation of the MAPK/ERK pathways.展开更多
Myocardial infarction(MI)is characterized by focal necrosis resulting from prolonged myocardial ischemia due to coronary artery obstruction.Vascular reconstruction following MI is crucial for improving cardiac functio...Myocardial infarction(MI)is characterized by focal necrosis resulting from prolonged myocardial ischemia due to coronary artery obstruction.Vascular reconstruction following MI is crucial for improving cardiac function and preventing recurrent infarction.This study investigates the interaction between macrophages and endothelial cells in angiogenesis mediated by nicotinamide mononucleotide(NMN)-induced secretion of macrophage-derived exosomes.We focus on the role of U2 small nuclear RNA auxiliary factor 1(U2af1)gene,a member of the splicing factor serine and arginine(SR)gene family,in the regulation of angiogenesis.Through cardiac ultrasound,Masson staining,2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride(TTC)staining,Microfil vascular perfusion,and platelet and endothelial cell adhesion molecule 1(CD31)immunofluorescence staining,extracellular vesicles from NMN-stimulated macrophages were shown to exert a protective effect in MI,with proteomic analysis identifying U2AF1 as a candidate protein involved in MI protection.Plasma U2AF1 levels were measured in 70 MI patients,revealing significantly lower levels in individuals with poor coronary collateral vessel(CCV;Rentrop scores 0–1)than in those with good CCV(Rentrop scores 2–3).In both myocardial and hindlimb ischemia mouse models,overexpression of endothelial cell-specific adenoviral overexpression U2AF1 promoted angiogenesis in the heart and hindlimbs and improved cardiac function after MI.Mechanistic studies demonstrated that U2AF1 regulates the alternative splicing(AS)of Yes1-associated transcriptional regulator(Yap1)gene,influencing post-MI angiogenesis and cardiac function recovery.Collectively,our clinical findings suggest that U2AF1 may serve as a therapeutic target for coronary collateral angiogenesis following MI.Given the low immunogenicity and high biosafety of exosomes,this study provides a foundational basis and translational potential for exosome-based therapies in MI treatment.展开更多
Background:Glioblastoma(GBM)is one of the most malignant types of central nervous system tumors.Oxygen deprivation in the tumor microenvironment is thought to be an important factor in promoting GBM progression.Howeve...Background:Glioblastoma(GBM)is one of the most malignant types of central nervous system tumors.Oxygen deprivation in the tumor microenvironment is thought to be an important factor in promoting GBM progression.However,the mechanisms of hypoxia-promoted tumor progression remain elusive.Methods:Alternative splicing of diacylglycerol kinase gamma(DGKG)-Δexon13 was amplified and verified by PCR-Sanger sequencing.The functions of DGKG and DGKG-Δexon13 were analyzed by Cell counting kit-8(CCK-8),Transwell,Matrigeltranswell experiments,and in vivo orthotropic GBM animal models.Transcriptome analyses were done to find out the regulated genes.Results:In this study,we found that a new transcript DGKG-Δexon13 was generated in GBM under hypoxia via alternative splicing.Moreover,the results of CCK-8,Transwell,and Matrigel-transwell experiments showed that the proliferation,migration,and invasion abilities of U87-MG and T98G were decreased after DGKG knockdown.Compared to wild-type DGKG,DGKG-Δexon13 overexpression significantly promoted cellular proliferation,migration,and invasion abilities in GBM.Furthermore,in vivo,orthotropic GBM animal models analysis showed that the tumor volumes were much smaller in the DGKG knockdown group.However,the tumor sizes in the DGKG and DGKG-Δexon13 rescue groups were restored,especially in the DGKG-Δexon13 group.Transcriptome analysis revealed that MORC1,KLHDC7B,ATP1A2,INHBE,TMEM119,and FGD3 were altered significantly when DGKG was knocked down.IL-16,CCN2,and EFNB3 were specifically regulated by DGKG-Δexon13.Conclusions:Our study found that hypoxia-induced alternative splicing transcript DGKG-Δexon13 promotes GBM proliferation and infiltration,which might provide a new potential target for the clinical treatment and diagnosis of GBM.展开更多
Both transcription and post-transcriptional processes, such as alternative splicing, play crucial roles in controlling developmental programs in metazoans. Recently emerged RNA-seq method has brought our understanding...Both transcription and post-transcriptional processes, such as alternative splicing, play crucial roles in controlling developmental programs in metazoans. Recently emerged RNA-seq method has brought our understanding of eukaryotic transcriptomes to a new level, because it can resolve both gene expression level and alternative splicing events simultaneously. To gain a better understanding of cellular differentiation in gonads, we analyzed mRNA profiles from Drosophila testes and ovaries using RNA-seq. We identified a set of genes that have sex-specific isoforms in wild-type （WT） gonads, including several transcription factors. We found that differentiation of sperms from undifferentiated germ cells induced a dramatic downregulation of RNA splicing factors. Our data confirmed that RNA splicing events are significantly more frequent in the undifferentiated cell-enriched bag of marbles （barn） mutant testis, but downregulated upon differentiation in WT testis. Consistent with this, we showed that genes required for meiosis and terminal differentiation in WT testis were mainly regulated at the transcriptional level, but not by alternative splicing. Unexpectedly, we observed an increase in expression of all families of chromatin remodeling factors and histone modifying enzymes in the undifferentiated cell-enriched bam testis. More interestingly, chromatin regulators and histone modifying enzymes with opposite enzymatic activities are coenriched in undifferentiated cells in testis, suggesting that these cells may possess dynamic chromatin architecture. Finally, our data revealed many new features of the Drosophila gonadal transcriptomes, and will lead to a more comprehensive understanding of how differential gene expression and splicing regulate gametogenesis in Drosophila. Our data provided a foundation for the systematic study of gene expression and alternative splicing in many interesting areas of germ cell biology in Droso- phila, such as the molecular basis for sexual dimorphism and the regulation of the proliferation vs terminal differentiation programs in germline stem cell lineages. The GEO accession number for the raw and analyzed RNA-seq data is GSE16960.展开更多
Polypyrimidine tract-binding protein 1(PTBP1)plays an essential role in splicing and is expressed in almost all cell types in humans,unlike the other proteins of the PTBP family.PTBP1 mediates several cellular process...Polypyrimidine tract-binding protein 1(PTBP1)plays an essential role in splicing and is expressed in almost all cell types in humans,unlike the other proteins of the PTBP family.PTBP1 mediates several cellular processes in certain types of cells,including the growth and differentiation of neuronal cells and activation of immune cells.Its function is regulated by various molecules,including micro RNAs(mi RNAs),long non-coding RNAs(lnc RNAs),and RNA-binding proteins.PTBP1 plays roles in various diseases,particularly in some cancers,including colorectal cancer,renal cell cancer,breast cancer,and glioma.In cancers,it acts mainly as a regulator of glycolysis,apoptosis,proliferation,tumorigenesis,invasion,and migration.The role of PTBP1 in cancer has become a popular research topic in recent years,and this research has contributed greatly to the formulation of a useful therapeutic strategy for cancer.In this review,we summarize recent findings related to PTBP1 and discuss how it regulates the development of cancer cells.展开更多
Ser/Arg-rich （SR） genes encode proteins that play pivotal roles in both constitutive and alternative splicing of pre-mRNA. However, not much effort has been made to investigate the alternative splicing of their own ...Ser/Arg-rich （SR） genes encode proteins that play pivotal roles in both constitutive and alternative splicing of pre-mRNA. However, not much effort has been made to investigate the alternative splicing of their own pre-mRNA. In this study, we conducted comprehensive analyses of pre-mRNA splicing for 22 SR genes in three rice （Oryza sativa L.） ecotypes indica, japonica andjavanica. Using different ecotypes we characterized the variations in expression and splicing patterns of rice SR genes in different tissues and at different developmental stages. In addition, we compared the divergence in expression and splicing patterns of SR genes from seedlings of different rice ecotypes in response to hormones application and environmental stresses. Our results revealed the complexity of alternative splicing of SR genes in rice. The splicing varies in different tissues, in different ecotypes, in response to stresses and hormones. Thus, our study suggested that SR genes were subjected to sophisticated alternative splicing although their encoding proteins were involved in the splicing process.展开更多
OCT4 is one of the key transcription factors in maintaining the pluripotency and self-renewal of embryonic stem （ES） cells.Human OCT4 can generate two isoforms OCT4A and OCT4B by alternative splicing.OCT4B1 is a rec...OCT4 is one of the key transcription factors in maintaining the pluripotency and self-renewal of embryonic stem （ES） cells.Human OCT4 can generate two isoforms OCT4A and OCT4B by alternative splicing.OCT4B1 is a recently discovered novel OCT4 spliced variant,which has been considered as a putative marker of stemness.Compared with the OCT4B mRNA,OCT4B1 mRNA is generated by retaining intron 2 as a cryptic exon which contains a TGA stop codon in it.As a result,the protein product of OCT4B1 mRNA could be truncated.Interestingly,we present here that OCT4B1 can indirectly produce the same protein products as OCT4B.We have demonstrated that OCT4B1 mRNA can be spliced into OCT4B mRNA,and encode three protein isoforms.The splicing of OCT4B1 mRNA into OCT4B mRNA can be remarkably inhibited by the mutation of the classical splicing site.Our result suggests that OCT4B mRNA may originate from OCT4B1 mRNA by alternative splicing.展开更多
The neuronal microtubule-associated protein tau is abnormally hyperphosphorylated and aggregated into neurofibrillary tangles in the brains of individuals with Alzheimer＇s disease and related neurodegenerative disord...The neuronal microtubule-associated protein tau is abnormally hyperphosphorylated and aggregated into neurofibrillary tangles in the brains of individuals with Alzheimer＇s disease and related neurodegenerative disorders. The adult human brain expresses six isoforms of tau generated by alternative splicing of exons 2, 3, and 10 of its pre-mRNA. Exon 10 encodes the second microtubule-binding repeat of tau. Its alternative splicing produces tau isoforms with either three or four microtubule-binding repeats, termed 3R-tau and 4R- tau. In the normal adult human brain, the level of 3R-tau is approximately equal to that of 4R-tau. Several silent and intronic mutations of the tau gene associated with FTDP-17T （frontotemporal dementia with Parkinsonism linked to chromosome 17 and specifically characterized by tau pathology） only disrupt exon 10 splicing, but do not influence the primary sequence of the tau protein. Thus, abnormal exon 10 splicing is sufficient to cause neurodegeneration and dementia. Here, we review the regulation of tau exon 10 splicing by cis-elements and trans-factors and summarize all the mutations associated with FTDP-17T and related tauopathies. The findings suggest that correction of exon 10 splicing may be a potential target for tau exon 10 splicing-related tauopathies.展开更多
Myotonic dystrophy type 1(DM1) is a spliceopathy related to the mis-splicing of several genes caused by sequestration of nuclear transcriptional RNA-binding factors from non-coding CUG repeats of DMPK pre-mRNAs. Dysre...Myotonic dystrophy type 1(DM1) is a spliceopathy related to the mis-splicing of several genes caused by sequestration of nuclear transcriptional RNA-binding factors from non-coding CUG repeats of DMPK pre-mRNAs. Dysregulation of ryanodine receptor 1(RYR1), sarcoplasmatic/endoplasmatic Ca^2+-ATPase(SERCA) and α1 S subunit of voltage-gated Ca^2+ channels(Cav1.1) is related to Ca^2+ homeostasis and excitation-contraction coupling impairment. Though no pharmacological treatment for DM1 exists, aberrant splicing correction represents one major therapeutic target for this disease. Resveratrol(RES, 3,5,4′-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene) is a promising pharmacological tools for DM1 treatment for its ability to directly bind the DNA and RNA influencing gene expression and alternative splicing. Herein, we analyzed the therapeutic effects of RES in DM1 myotubes in a pilot study including cultured myotubes from two DM1 patients and two healthy controls. Our results indicated that RES treatment corrected the aberrant splicing of RYR1, and this event appeared associated with restoring of depolarization-induced Ca^2+ release from RYR1 dependent on the electro-mechanical coupling between RYR1 and Cav1.1. Interestingly, immunoblotting studies showed that RES treatment was associated with a reduction in the levels of CUGBP Elav-like family member 1, while RYR1, Cav1.1 and SERCA1 protein levels were unchanged. Finally, RES treatment did not induce any major changes either in the amount of ribonuclear foci or sequestration of muscleblind-like splicing regulator 1. Overall, the results of this pilot study would support RES as an attractive compound for future clinical trials in DM1. Ethical approval was obtained from the Ethical Committee of IRCCS Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, Rome, Italy(rs9879/14) on May 20, 2014.展开更多
Alternative splicing （AS） is a crucial step in gene expression. It is subject to intricate regulation, and its deregulation in cancer can lead to a wide array of neoplastic phenotypes. A large body of evidence impli...Alternative splicing （AS） is a crucial step in gene expression. It is subject to intricate regulation, and its deregulation in cancer can lead to a wide array of neoplastic phenotypes. A large body of evidence implicates splice isoforms in most if not all hallmarks of cancer, including growth, apoptosis, invasion and metastasis, angiogenesis, and metabolism. AS has important clinical implications since it can be manipulated therapeutically to treat cancer and represents a mechanism of resistance to therapy. In prostate cancer （PCa） AS also plays a prominent role and this review will summarize the current knowledge of alternatively spliced genes with important functional consequences. We will highlight accumulating evidence on AS of the components of the two critical pathways in PCa： androgen receptor （AR） and phosphoinositide 3-kinase （PI3K）. These observations together with data on dysregulation of splice factors in PCa suggest that AR and PI3K pathways may be interconnected with previously unappreciated splicing regulatory networks. In addition, we will discuss several lines of evidence implicating splicing regulation in the development of the castration resistance.展开更多
AIM: To identify the new alternative splicing variants of human CYP2D6 in human extratumoral liver tissue with RT-PCR and sequencing. METHODS: Full length of human CYP2D6 cDNAs was amplificated by reverse transcriptio...AIM: To identify the new alternative splicing variants of human CYP2D6 in human extratumoral liver tissue with RT-PCR and sequencing. METHODS: Full length of human CYP2D6 cDNAs was amplificated by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) from a human extratumoral liver tissue and cloned into pGEM-T vector. The cDNA was sequenced. Exons from 1 to 4 of human CYP2D6 cDNAs were also amplificated by RT-PCR from extratumoral liver tissues of 17 human hepatocellular carcinomas. Some RT-PCR products were sequenced. Exons 1 to 4 of CYP2D6 gene were amplified by PCR from extratumoral liver tissue DNA. Two PCR products from extratumoral liver tissues expressing skipped mRNA were partially sequenced. RESULTS: One of the CYP2D6 cDNAs had 470 nucleotides from 79 to 548 (3' portion of exons 1 to 5' portion of exon 4), and was skipped. Exons 1 to 4 of CYP2D6 cDNA were assayed with RT-PCR in 17 extratumoral liver tissues. Both wild type and skipped mRNAs were expressed in 4 samples, only wild type mRNA was expressed in 5 samples, and only skipped mRNA was expressed in 8 samples. Two more variants were identified by sequencing the RT-PCR products of exons 1 to 4 of CYP2D6 cDNA. The second variant skipped 411 nucleotides from 175 to 585. This variant was identified in 4 different liver tissues by sequencing the RT-PCR products. We sequenced partially 2 of the PCR products amplified of CYP2D6 exon 1 to exon 4 from extratumoral liver tissue genomic DNA that only expressed skipped mRNA by RT-PCR. No point mutations around exon 1, intron 1, and exon 4, and no deletion in CYP2D6 gene were detected. The third variant was the skipped exon 3, and 153 bp was lost. CONCLUSION: Three new alternative splicing variants of CYP2D6 mRNA have been identified. They may not be caused by gene mutation and may lose CYP2D6 activity and act as a down-regulator of CYP2D6.展开更多
In the eukaryotic transcriptome, both the numbers of genes and different RNA species produced by each gene contribute to the overall complexity. These RNA species are generated by the utilization of different transcri...In the eukaryotic transcriptome, both the numbers of genes and different RNA species produced by each gene contribute to the overall complexity. These RNA species are generated by the utilization of different transcriptional initiation or termination sites, or more commonly, from different messenger RNA (mRNA) splicing events. Among the 30 000+ genes in human genome, it is estimated that more than 95% of them can generate more than one gene product via alternative RNA splicing. The protein products generated from different RNA splicing variants can have different intracellular localization, activity, or tissue-distribution. Therefore, alternative RNA splicing is an important molecular process that contributes to the overall complexity of the genome and the functional specificity and diversity among different cell types. In this review, we will discuss current efforts to unravel the full complexity of the cardiac transcriptome using a deep-sequencing approach, and highlight the potential of this technology to uncover the global impact of RNA splicing on the transcriptome during development and diseases of the heart.展开更多
Chinese tongue sole(Cynoglossus semilaevis)is an economically important marine fish species with a ZZ/ZW sex determination mechanism,which can be influenced by temperature.Alternative splicing(AS)is an important mecha...Chinese tongue sole(Cynoglossus semilaevis)is an economically important marine fish species with a ZZ/ZW sex determination mechanism,which can be influenced by temperature.Alternative splicing(AS)is an important mechanism regulating the expression of genes related to sex determination and gonadal differentiation,but has rarely been reported in fish.In this study,to explore the molecular regulatory mechanisms of sex determination and gonadal differentiation,we combined isoform and RNA sequencing(Iso-Seq and RNA-Seq)to perform transcriptome profiling of male and female gonads in C.semilaevis.In total,81883 and 32341 full-length transcripts were obtained in males and females,respectively.A total of 8279 AS genes were identified,including 2639 genes showing differential AS(DAS)between males and females.Many intersecting DAS genes and differentially expressed genes(DEGs)were enriched in the meiotic cell cycle pathway,and genes related to gonadal differentiation,such as esrrb and wt1a,were found to have sex-specific isoforms.Thus,this study revealed AS events in the gonadal transcriptomes of male and female C.semilaevis,described the characteristics of active transcription in the testes,and identified candidate genes for studying the regulatory mechanisms of AS during gonadal differentiation.展开更多
We identified the rice floral organ development mutant, termed as open hull and male sterile 1 （ohms1）, from the progeny of the indica restorer line Zhonghui 8015 treated with 60Co γ-ray irradiation. The ohms1 muta...We identified the rice floral organ development mutant, termed as open hull and male sterile 1 （ohms1）, from the progeny of the indica restorer line Zhonghui 8015 treated with 60Co γ-ray irradiation. The ohms1 mutant exhibited an open hull and lemma- and palea-like structure conversion between the anthers and stigma, which resulted in the ohms1 mutant spikelet showing‘tridentate lemma＇. The ohms1 mutant was entirely sterile but had 60%-70% fertile pollen. Genetic analysis and gene mapping showed that ohms1 was controlled by a single recessive gene, and the mutant gene was fine-mapped to a 42-kb interval on the short arm of chromosome 3 between markers KY2 and KY29. Sequence analysis of the four open reading frames in this region revealed that the mutant carried a single nucleotide transformation （A to G） at the last base of the fifth intron, which was likely corresponded to ohms1 phynotype, in an MIKC type MADS-box gene OsMADS1 （LOC_Os03g11614）. Enzyme digestion and cDNA sequencing further indicated that the variable splicing was responsible for the deletion of the sixth exon in ohms1, but no structural changes in the MADS domain or amino acid frame shifts appeared. Additionally, real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR analysis showed that the OsMADS1 expression level decreased significantly in the ohms1 mutant. The expression levels of rice flowering factors and floral glume development-related genes also changed significantly. These results demonstrate that OsMADS1 may play an important role in rice floral organ development, particularly in floral glume development and floret primordium differentiation.展开更多
The splicing of many alternative exons in the precursor messenger RNA (pre-mRNA) is regulated by extracellular factors but the underlying molecular bases remain unclear. Here we report the differential regulation of B...The splicing of many alternative exons in the precursor messenger RNA (pre-mRNA) is regulated by extracellular factors but the underlying molecular bases remain unclear. Here we report the differential regulation of Bcl-x pre-mRNA splicing by extracellular factors and their distinct requirements for pre-mRNA elements. In K562 leukemia cells, treatment with interleukin-6 (IL-6) or granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) reduced the proportion of the Bcl-xL variant mRNA while treatment with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA) had no effect. In U251 glioma cells, however, TPA efficiently increased the Bcl-xL level. These regulations were also seen for a transfected splicing reporter mini-gene. Further analyses of deletion mutants indicate that nucleotides 1-176 of the downstream intron are required for the IL-6 effect, whereas additional nucleotides 177-284 are essential for the GM-CSF effect. As for the TPA effect, only nucleotides 1-76 are required in the downstream intron. Thus, IL-6, GM-CSF and TPA differentially regulate Bcl-x splicing and require specific intronic pre-mRNA sequences for their respective effects.展开更多
Alternative splicing is a major contributor to genomic complexity and proteome diversity,yet the analysis of alternative splicing for the sequence containing nucleotide binding site and leucine-rich repeats(NBS-LRR)do...Alternative splicing is a major contributor to genomic complexity and proteome diversity,yet the analysis of alternative splicing for the sequence containing nucleotide binding site and leucine-rich repeats(NBS-LRR)domain has not been explored in rice(Oryza sativa L.).Hidden Markov model(HMM)searches were performed for NBS-LRR domain.875 NBS-LRR-encoding sequences were obtained from the Institute for Genomic Research(TIGR).All of them were used to blast Knowledge-based Oryza Molecular Biological Encyclopaedia(KOME),TIGR rice gene index(TGI),and Universal Protein Resource(UniProt)to obtain homologous full-length cDNAs(FL-cDNAs),tentative consensus sequences,and protein sequences.Alternative splicing events were detected from genomic alignment of FL-cDNAs,tentative consensus sequences,and protein sequences,which provide valuable information on splice variants of genes.These sequences were aligned to the corresponding BAC sequences using the Spidey and Sim4 programs and each of the proteins was aligned by tBLASTn.Of the 875 NBS-LRR sequences,119(13.6%)sequences had alternative splicing where multiple FL-cDNAs,TGI sequences and proteins corresponded to the same gene.71 intron retention events,20 exon skipping events,16 alternative termination events,25 alternative initiation events,12 alternative 5'splicing events,and 16 alternative 3'splicing events were identified.Most of these alternative splices were supported by two or more transcripts.The data sets are available at http://www.bioinfor.org.Furthermore,the bioinformatics analysis of splice boundaries showed that exon skipping and intron retention did not exhibit strong consensus.This implies a different regulation mechanism that guides the expression of splice isoforms.This article also presents the analysis of the effects of intron retention on proteins.The C-terminal regions of alternative proteins turned out to be more variable than the N-terminal regions.Finally,tissue distribution and protein localization of alternative splicing were explored.The largest categories of tissue distributions for alternative splicing were shoot and callus.More than one-thirds of protein localization for splice forms was plasma membrane and cytoplasm.All the NBS-LRR proteins for splice forms may have important function in disease resistance and activate downstream signaling pathways.展开更多
Alternative splicing,which is a common phenomenon in mammalian genomes,is a fundamental process of gene regulation and contributes to great protein diversity.Alternative splicing events not only occur in the normal ge...Alternative splicing,which is a common phenomenon in mammalian genomes,is a fundamental process of gene regulation and contributes to great protein diversity.Alternative splicing events not only occur in the normal gene regulation process but are also closely related to certain diseases including cancer.In this review,we briefly demonstrate the concept of alternative splicing and DNA damage and describe the association of alternative splicing and cancer pathogenesis,focusing on the potential relationship of alternative splicing,DNA damage,and gastrointestinal cancers.We will also discuss whether alternative splicing leads to genetic instability,which is considered to be a driving force for tumorigenesis.Better understanding of the role and mechanism of alternative splicing in tumorigenesis may provide new directions for future cancer studies.展开更多
Accumulating evidence supports the significance of aberrant alternative splicing(AS)events in cancer;however,genome-wide profiling of progression-free survival(PFS)-related AS events in testicular germ cell tumors(TGC...Accumulating evidence supports the significance of aberrant alternative splicing(AS)events in cancer;however,genome-wide profiling of progression-free survival(PFS)-related AS events in testicular germ cell tumors(TGCT)has not been reported.Here,we analyzed high-throughput RNA-sequencing data and percent-spliced-in values for 150 patients with TGCT.Using univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis and a least absolute shrinkage and selection operator method,we identified the top 15 AS events most closely associated with disease progression.A risk-associated AS score(ASS)for the 15 AS events was calculated for each patient.ASS,pathological stage,and T stage were significantly associated with disease progression by univariate analysis,but only ASS and pathological stage remained significant by multivariate analysis.The ability of these variables to predict 5-year progression was assessed using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis.ASS had stronger predictive value than a combination of age,pathological stage,and T stage(area under the curve=0.899 and 0.715,respectively).Furthermore,Kaplan—Meier analysis of patients with low and high ASS demonstrated that high ASS was associated with significantly worse PFS than low ASS(P=1.46 × 10^(-7)).We also analyzed the biological functions of the PFS-related AS-related genes and found enrichment in pathways associated with DNA repair and modification.Finally,we identified a regulatory network of splicing factors with expression levels that correlated significantly with AS events in TGCT.Collectively,this study identifies a novel method for risk stratification of patients and provides insight into the molecular events underlying TGCT.展开更多
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32202393)the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province,China(ZR2021QC190)+1 种基金the Science and Technology Benefiting the People Demonstration Project of Qingdao,China(24-1-8-xdny-10-nsh)the Qingdao Agricultural University High-level Talent Fund,China(663/1120101)。
文摘Caspases,which play key roles in cell apoptosis,undergo alternative splicing to form different splicing variants that can regulate the apoptotic process.Lepidopteran insect caspases undergo alternative splicing,although the functions of their splicing variants are still unclear.The Spodoptera exigua caspase-5(SeCaspase-5)gene was cloned and found to produce four different splicing variants with different gene sequences and protein functional domains,which were named SeCaspase-5a,SeCaspase-5b,SeCaspase-5c and SeCaspase-5d.Overexpression of these variants in S.exigua cells(Se-3)showed that SeCaspase-5a had a proapoptotic function,whereas SeCaspase-5b,SeCaspase-5c and SeCaspase-5d did not.Semi-qPCR analysis revealed that the expression of the SeCaspase-5 variants significantly differed during Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus(AcMNPV)infection.Furthermore,the SeCaspase-5 variants were constructed into the AcMNPV bacmid and transfected into Se-3 cells,which revealed that SeCaspase-5a promoted cell apoptosis and reduced virus production,whereas SeCaspase-5b,SeCaspase-5c and SeCaspase-5d did not promote cell apoptosis but instead increased virus production.Moreover,an analysis of the interactions between the SeCaspase-5 variants revealed that SeCaspase-5a directly interacted with SeCaspase-5b,SeCaspase-5c and SeCaspase-5d.Coexpression of these variants in Se-3 cells also revealed that SeCaspase-5b,SeCaspase-5c and SeCaspase-5d inhibited the proapoptotic function of SeCaspase-5a,resulting in a reduction in the percentage of apoptotic cells by about 20%.These results indicate that SeCaspase-5 undergoes alternative splicing and is involved in regulating the apoptosis induced by baculovirus infection.These findings increase our understanding of the functions of lepidopteran insect caspases and provide new insights into the mechanism of host-cell apoptosis induced by baculoviruses.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2021YFF1000301)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31771805)。
文摘Heat stress is a major threat to maize(Zea mays L.)production worldwide.Heat shock transcription factors(HSFs)play vital roles in plant responses to heat stress.However,the molecular and genetic mechanisms underlying HSF-meditated thermotolerance in maize remain largely unexplored.In this study,we demonstrate that the alternative splicing of ZmHsf23 modulates heat stress tolerance in maize.Hsf23 produced two functional transcripts,Hsf23L and Hsf23S,which differ by the presence of a cryptic mini-exon in Hsf23L that is spliced out in Hsf23S.Both transcripts were strongly induced by heat stress.Mutants lacking Hsf23L alone(hsf23l)or both Hsf23L and Hsf23S(hsf23l23s)exhibited increased susceptibility to heat stress,whereas overexpression of Hsf23S enhanced heat stress tolerance in maize.Subsequently,we found that Hsf23S positively regulates heat stress tolerance by directly activating the transcription of three sHSP genes(Hsp16.9,Hsp17.2,and Hsp18a)and TIL1 gene.In addition,Hsf23L physically interacted with Hsf23S and enhanced the transcriptional activation of Hsf23S on the sHSPs and TIL1 promoters.Notably,genetic analysis suggested that co-overexpression of Hsf23L and Hsf23S further improves heat tolerance of the transgenic plants.Taken together,these results reveal two splicing variants of ZmHsf23 cooperatively regulate maize heat tolerance,thus highlighting potential value of ZmHsf23 in breeding heat-tolerant maize varieties.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.81972771,82173062)the Key Areas Project of Education Department of Guangdong Province(No.2021ZDZX2017)+3 种基金the Tertiary Education Scientific Research Project of Guangzhou Municipal Education Bureau(No.202235387)the Guangzhou Science and Technology Project of Guangzhou Municipal Science and Technology Bureau(No.2023A03J0428)the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province,China(No.2024A1515013082)the Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research 21 Foundation(No.2021A1515010403).
文摘Background:Alterations in splicing factors contribute to aberrant alternative splicing(AS),which subsequently promotes tumor progression.The splicing factor polypyrimidine tract binding protein 1(PTBP1)has been shown to facilitate cancer progression by modulating oncogenic variants.However,its specific role and underlying mechanisms in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)remain to be elucidated.Methods:PTBP1 expression was evaluated in HCC tissues and cell lines.Subsequently,cells were transfected with vectors designed for PTBP1 overexpression or downregulation.The biological function of PTBP1 was assessed in vitro and in vivo using MTS assays,colony formation assays,transwell assays,xenograft formation,tail vein injection,and orthotopic models.Transcriptome analysis was conducted to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms.Results:Our findings demonstrated that PTBP1 exhibited elevated expression in HCC cell lines and tissues.Furthermore,its expression positively correlated with overall and disease-free survival rates,as well as tumor grade and stage.PTBP1 knockdown reduced HCC cell proliferation,migration,and invasion in vitro and suppressed hepatocarcinoma xenograft growth and infiltration in vivo.RNA sequencing(RNA-Seq)analysis identified the AS events associated with PTBP1.PTBP1 functionally enhanced cell proliferation,invasion,and migration by modulating the AS of the microtubule-associated protein tau(MAPT)gene and promoting oncogene expression.Notably,the dysregulation of MAPT splicing coincided with increased PTBP1 expression in HCC.Conclusions:PTBP1-guided AS of the MAPT gene enhances tumorigenicity in HCC through activation of the MAPK/ERK pathways.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Founda-tion of China(82370417,82330011,and U21A20339)the Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars of Heilongjiang Province(JQ2024H001)the Heilongjiang Provincial Postdoctoral Science Foundation(LBH-Z23212).
文摘Myocardial infarction(MI)is characterized by focal necrosis resulting from prolonged myocardial ischemia due to coronary artery obstruction.Vascular reconstruction following MI is crucial for improving cardiac function and preventing recurrent infarction.This study investigates the interaction between macrophages and endothelial cells in angiogenesis mediated by nicotinamide mononucleotide(NMN)-induced secretion of macrophage-derived exosomes.We focus on the role of U2 small nuclear RNA auxiliary factor 1(U2af1)gene,a member of the splicing factor serine and arginine(SR)gene family,in the regulation of angiogenesis.Through cardiac ultrasound,Masson staining,2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride(TTC)staining,Microfil vascular perfusion,and platelet and endothelial cell adhesion molecule 1(CD31)immunofluorescence staining,extracellular vesicles from NMN-stimulated macrophages were shown to exert a protective effect in MI,with proteomic analysis identifying U2AF1 as a candidate protein involved in MI protection.Plasma U2AF1 levels were measured in 70 MI patients,revealing significantly lower levels in individuals with poor coronary collateral vessel(CCV;Rentrop scores 0–1)than in those with good CCV(Rentrop scores 2–3).In both myocardial and hindlimb ischemia mouse models,overexpression of endothelial cell-specific adenoviral overexpression U2AF1 promoted angiogenesis in the heart and hindlimbs and improved cardiac function after MI.Mechanistic studies demonstrated that U2AF1 regulates the alternative splicing(AS)of Yes1-associated transcriptional regulator(Yap1)gene,influencing post-MI angiogenesis and cardiac function recovery.Collectively,our clinical findings suggest that U2AF1 may serve as a therapeutic target for coronary collateral angiogenesis following MI.Given the low immunogenicity and high biosafety of exosomes,this study provides a foundational basis and translational potential for exosome-based therapies in MI treatment.
基金funded by Guizhou Province Science and Technology Plan Project Qiankehe Foundation-ZK[2023]General 360,362Science and Technology Fund project of Guizhou Provincial Health Commission(gzwkj-2022-09,gzwkj-2023-035)+1 种基金National Natural Science Foundation Cultivation Project of Guizhou Medical University(21NSFCP14,gyfynsfc-2022-25)The PhD Scientific Research Launch Fund Project of the Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University(gyfybsky-2022-02).
文摘Background:Glioblastoma(GBM)is one of the most malignant types of central nervous system tumors.Oxygen deprivation in the tumor microenvironment is thought to be an important factor in promoting GBM progression.However,the mechanisms of hypoxia-promoted tumor progression remain elusive.Methods:Alternative splicing of diacylglycerol kinase gamma(DGKG)-Δexon13 was amplified and verified by PCR-Sanger sequencing.The functions of DGKG and DGKG-Δexon13 were analyzed by Cell counting kit-8(CCK-8),Transwell,Matrigeltranswell experiments,and in vivo orthotropic GBM animal models.Transcriptome analyses were done to find out the regulated genes.Results:In this study,we found that a new transcript DGKG-Δexon13 was generated in GBM under hypoxia via alternative splicing.Moreover,the results of CCK-8,Transwell,and Matrigel-transwell experiments showed that the proliferation,migration,and invasion abilities of U87-MG and T98G were decreased after DGKG knockdown.Compared to wild-type DGKG,DGKG-Δexon13 overexpression significantly promoted cellular proliferation,migration,and invasion abilities in GBM.Furthermore,in vivo,orthotropic GBM animal models analysis showed that the tumor volumes were much smaller in the DGKG knockdown group.However,the tumor sizes in the DGKG and DGKG-Δexon13 rescue groups were restored,especially in the DGKG-Δexon13 group.Transcriptome analysis revealed that MORC1,KLHDC7B,ATP1A2,INHBE,TMEM119,and FGD3 were altered significantly when DGKG was knocked down.IL-16,CCN2,and EFNB3 were specifically regulated by DGKG-Δexon13.Conclusions:Our study found that hypoxia-induced alternative splicing transcript DGKG-Δexon13 promotes GBM proliferation and infiltration,which might provide a new potential target for the clinical treatment and diagnosis of GBM.
文摘Both transcription and post-transcriptional processes, such as alternative splicing, play crucial roles in controlling developmental programs in metazoans. Recently emerged RNA-seq method has brought our understanding of eukaryotic transcriptomes to a new level, because it can resolve both gene expression level and alternative splicing events simultaneously. To gain a better understanding of cellular differentiation in gonads, we analyzed mRNA profiles from Drosophila testes and ovaries using RNA-seq. We identified a set of genes that have sex-specific isoforms in wild-type （WT） gonads, including several transcription factors. We found that differentiation of sperms from undifferentiated germ cells induced a dramatic downregulation of RNA splicing factors. Our data confirmed that RNA splicing events are significantly more frequent in the undifferentiated cell-enriched bag of marbles （barn） mutant testis, but downregulated upon differentiation in WT testis. Consistent with this, we showed that genes required for meiosis and terminal differentiation in WT testis were mainly regulated at the transcriptional level, but not by alternative splicing. Unexpectedly, we observed an increase in expression of all families of chromatin remodeling factors and histone modifying enzymes in the undifferentiated cell-enriched bam testis. More interestingly, chromatin regulators and histone modifying enzymes with opposite enzymatic activities are coenriched in undifferentiated cells in testis, suggesting that these cells may possess dynamic chromatin architecture. Finally, our data revealed many new features of the Drosophila gonadal transcriptomes, and will lead to a more comprehensive understanding of how differential gene expression and splicing regulate gametogenesis in Drosophila. Our data provided a foundation for the systematic study of gene expression and alternative splicing in many interesting areas of germ cell biology in Droso- phila, such as the molecular basis for sexual dimorphism and the regulation of the proliferation vs terminal differentiation programs in germline stem cell lineages. The GEO accession number for the raw and analyzed RNA-seq data is GSE16960.
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.81773179,81272972,and 81472355)the Program for New Century Excellent Talents in University(No.NCET-10-0790)+2 种基金the Hunan Provincial Science and Technology Department(Nos.2016JC 2049 and 2014FJ6006)the Hunan Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China(No.2016JJ2172)the Undergraduate Training Programs for Innovation and Entrepreneurship(Nos.201810533368,GS201910533474,and GS201910533236),China.
文摘Polypyrimidine tract-binding protein 1(PTBP1)plays an essential role in splicing and is expressed in almost all cell types in humans,unlike the other proteins of the PTBP family.PTBP1 mediates several cellular processes in certain types of cells,including the growth and differentiation of neuronal cells and activation of immune cells.Its function is regulated by various molecules,including micro RNAs(mi RNAs),long non-coding RNAs(lnc RNAs),and RNA-binding proteins.PTBP1 plays roles in various diseases,particularly in some cancers,including colorectal cancer,renal cell cancer,breast cancer,and glioma.In cancers,it acts mainly as a regulator of glycolysis,apoptosis,proliferation,tumorigenesis,invasion,and migration.The role of PTBP1 in cancer has become a popular research topic in recent years,and this research has contributed greatly to the formulation of a useful therapeutic strategy for cancer.In this review,we summarize recent findings related to PTBP1 and discuss how it regulates the development of cancer cells.
基金supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (2011CB100401)the National Science Fund of China for Distinguished Young Scientists(30825030)+1 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China (30970260,30770466 and 30971752)the Key Project from Chongqing Local Government,China(2010AA1019)
文摘Ser/Arg-rich （SR） genes encode proteins that play pivotal roles in both constitutive and alternative splicing of pre-mRNA. However, not much effort has been made to investigate the alternative splicing of their own pre-mRNA. In this study, we conducted comprehensive analyses of pre-mRNA splicing for 22 SR genes in three rice （Oryza sativa L.） ecotypes indica, japonica andjavanica. Using different ecotypes we characterized the variations in expression and splicing patterns of rice SR genes in different tissues and at different developmental stages. In addition, we compared the divergence in expression and splicing patterns of SR genes from seedlings of different rice ecotypes in response to hormones application and environmental stresses. Our results revealed the complexity of alternative splicing of SR genes in rice. The splicing varies in different tissues, in different ecotypes, in response to stresses and hormones. Thus, our study suggested that SR genes were subjected to sophisticated alternative splicing although their encoding proteins were involved in the splicing process.
基金supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program) (No 2006CB943601)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) (No 90919042)
文摘OCT4 is one of the key transcription factors in maintaining the pluripotency and self-renewal of embryonic stem （ES） cells.Human OCT4 can generate two isoforms OCT4A and OCT4B by alternative splicing.OCT4B1 is a recently discovered novel OCT4 spliced variant,which has been considered as a putative marker of stemness.Compared with the OCT4B mRNA,OCT4B1 mRNA is generated by retaining intron 2 as a cryptic exon which contains a TGA stop codon in it.As a result,the protein product of OCT4B1 mRNA could be truncated.Interestingly,we present here that OCT4B1 can indirectly produce the same protein products as OCT4B.We have demonstrated that OCT4B1 mRNA can be spliced into OCT4B mRNA,and encode three protein isoforms.The splicing of OCT4B1 mRNA into OCT4B mRNA can be remarkably inhibited by the mutation of the classical splicing site.Our result suggests that OCT4B mRNA may originate from OCT4B1 mRNA by alternative splicing.
基金supported by Nantong UniversityNew York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities+3 种基金by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(81030059 and 81170317)the Basic Research Program of Education Department of Jiangsu Province,China(10KJA310040)the U.S.Alzheimer’s Association(Grant IIRG-10-173154)the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions(PAPD)of China
文摘The neuronal microtubule-associated protein tau is abnormally hyperphosphorylated and aggregated into neurofibrillary tangles in the brains of individuals with Alzheimer＇s disease and related neurodegenerative disorders. The adult human brain expresses six isoforms of tau generated by alternative splicing of exons 2, 3, and 10 of its pre-mRNA. Exon 10 encodes the second microtubule-binding repeat of tau. Its alternative splicing produces tau isoforms with either three or four microtubule-binding repeats, termed 3R-tau and 4R- tau. In the normal adult human brain, the level of 3R-tau is approximately equal to that of 4R-tau. Several silent and intronic mutations of the tau gene associated with FTDP-17T （frontotemporal dementia with Parkinsonism linked to chromosome 17 and specifically characterized by tau pathology） only disrupt exon 10 splicing, but do not influence the primary sequence of the tau protein. Thus, abnormal exon 10 splicing is sufficient to cause neurodegeneration and dementia. Here, we review the regulation of tau exon 10 splicing by cis-elements and trans-factors and summarize all the mutations associated with FTDP-17T and related tauopathies. The findings suggest that correction of exon 10 splicing may be a potential target for tau exon 10 splicing-related tauopathies.
基金supported by grants from UniversitàCattolica and Italian Ministry of Scientific Research(grant number D1-2016 to GS)
文摘Myotonic dystrophy type 1(DM1) is a spliceopathy related to the mis-splicing of several genes caused by sequestration of nuclear transcriptional RNA-binding factors from non-coding CUG repeats of DMPK pre-mRNAs. Dysregulation of ryanodine receptor 1(RYR1), sarcoplasmatic/endoplasmatic Ca^2+-ATPase(SERCA) and α1 S subunit of voltage-gated Ca^2+ channels(Cav1.1) is related to Ca^2+ homeostasis and excitation-contraction coupling impairment. Though no pharmacological treatment for DM1 exists, aberrant splicing correction represents one major therapeutic target for this disease. Resveratrol(RES, 3,5,4′-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene) is a promising pharmacological tools for DM1 treatment for its ability to directly bind the DNA and RNA influencing gene expression and alternative splicing. Herein, we analyzed the therapeutic effects of RES in DM1 myotubes in a pilot study including cultured myotubes from two DM1 patients and two healthy controls. Our results indicated that RES treatment corrected the aberrant splicing of RYR1, and this event appeared associated with restoring of depolarization-induced Ca^2+ release from RYR1 dependent on the electro-mechanical coupling between RYR1 and Cav1.1. Interestingly, immunoblotting studies showed that RES treatment was associated with a reduction in the levels of CUGBP Elav-like family member 1, while RYR1, Cav1.1 and SERCA1 protein levels were unchanged. Finally, RES treatment did not induce any major changes either in the amount of ribonuclear foci or sequestration of muscleblind-like splicing regulator 1. Overall, the results of this pilot study would support RES as an attractive compound for future clinical trials in DM1. Ethical approval was obtained from the Ethical Committee of IRCCS Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, Rome, Italy(rs9879/14) on May 20, 2014.
文摘Alternative splicing （AS） is a crucial step in gene expression. It is subject to intricate regulation, and its deregulation in cancer can lead to a wide array of neoplastic phenotypes. A large body of evidence implicates splice isoforms in most if not all hallmarks of cancer, including growth, apoptosis, invasion and metastasis, angiogenesis, and metabolism. AS has important clinical implications since it can be manipulated therapeutically to treat cancer and represents a mechanism of resistance to therapy. In prostate cancer （PCa） AS also plays a prominent role and this review will summarize the current knowledge of alternatively spliced genes with important functional consequences. We will highlight accumulating evidence on AS of the components of the two critical pathways in PCa： androgen receptor （AR） and phosphoinositide 3-kinase （PI3K）. These observations together with data on dysregulation of splice factors in PCa suggest that AR and PI3K pathways may be interconnected with previously unappreciated splicing regulatory networks. In addition, we will discuss several lines of evidence implicating splicing regulation in the development of the castration resistance.
基金Supported by the National Key Basic Research and Development Program of China,No.2002CB512901National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.39770868 and Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province,No.397490
文摘AIM: To identify the new alternative splicing variants of human CYP2D6 in human extratumoral liver tissue with RT-PCR and sequencing. METHODS: Full length of human CYP2D6 cDNAs was amplificated by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) from a human extratumoral liver tissue and cloned into pGEM-T vector. The cDNA was sequenced. Exons from 1 to 4 of human CYP2D6 cDNAs were also amplificated by RT-PCR from extratumoral liver tissues of 17 human hepatocellular carcinomas. Some RT-PCR products were sequenced. Exons 1 to 4 of CYP2D6 gene were amplified by PCR from extratumoral liver tissue DNA. Two PCR products from extratumoral liver tissues expressing skipped mRNA were partially sequenced. RESULTS: One of the CYP2D6 cDNAs had 470 nucleotides from 79 to 548 (3' portion of exons 1 to 5' portion of exon 4), and was skipped. Exons 1 to 4 of CYP2D6 cDNA were assayed with RT-PCR in 17 extratumoral liver tissues. Both wild type and skipped mRNAs were expressed in 4 samples, only wild type mRNA was expressed in 5 samples, and only skipped mRNA was expressed in 8 samples. Two more variants were identified by sequencing the RT-PCR products of exons 1 to 4 of CYP2D6 cDNA. The second variant skipped 411 nucleotides from 175 to 585. This variant was identified in 4 different liver tissues by sequencing the RT-PCR products. We sequenced partially 2 of the PCR products amplified of CYP2D6 exon 1 to exon 4 from extratumoral liver tissue genomic DNA that only expressed skipped mRNA by RT-PCR. No point mutations around exon 1, intron 1, and exon 4, and no deletion in CYP2D6 gene were detected. The third variant was the skipped exon 3, and 153 bp was lost. CONCLUSION: Three new alternative splicing variants of CYP2D6 mRNA have been identified. They may not be caused by gene mutation and may lose CYP2D6 activity and act as a down-regulator of CYP2D6.
基金supported partially by Broad Stem Cell Research Center(BSCRC) Pre-doctoral Fellowship in UCLAthe National Institutes of Health,USA
文摘In the eukaryotic transcriptome, both the numbers of genes and different RNA species produced by each gene contribute to the overall complexity. These RNA species are generated by the utilization of different transcriptional initiation or termination sites, or more commonly, from different messenger RNA (mRNA) splicing events. Among the 30 000+ genes in human genome, it is estimated that more than 95% of them can generate more than one gene product via alternative RNA splicing. The protein products generated from different RNA splicing variants can have different intracellular localization, activity, or tissue-distribution. Therefore, alternative RNA splicing is an important molecular process that contributes to the overall complexity of the genome and the functional specificity and diversity among different cell types. In this review, we will discuss current efforts to unravel the full complexity of the cardiac transcriptome using a deep-sequencing approach, and highlight the potential of this technology to uncover the global impact of RNA splicing on the transcriptome during development and diseases of the heart.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31722058,31802275,and 31472269)National Key R&D Program of China(2018YFD0900301)+6 种基金AoShan Talents Cultivation Program Supported by Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology(2017ASTCP-ES06)Taishan Scholar Project Fund of Shandong of China to C.W.S.National Ten-Thousands Talents Special Support Program to C.W.S.Central Public-Interest Scientific Institution Basal Research Fund,CAFS(2020TD19)Central Public-interest Scientific Institution Basal Research Fund,YSFRI,CAFS(20603022021018)China Agriculture Research System(CARS-47-G03)Guangdong South China Sea Key Laboratory of Aquaculture for Aquatic Economic Animals,Guangdong Ocean University(KFKT2019ZD03)。
文摘Chinese tongue sole(Cynoglossus semilaevis)is an economically important marine fish species with a ZZ/ZW sex determination mechanism,which can be influenced by temperature.Alternative splicing(AS)is an important mechanism regulating the expression of genes related to sex determination and gonadal differentiation,but has rarely been reported in fish.In this study,to explore the molecular regulatory mechanisms of sex determination and gonadal differentiation,we combined isoform and RNA sequencing(Iso-Seq and RNA-Seq)to perform transcriptome profiling of male and female gonads in C.semilaevis.In total,81883 and 32341 full-length transcripts were obtained in males and females,respectively.A total of 8279 AS genes were identified,including 2639 genes showing differential AS(DAS)between males and females.Many intersecting DAS genes and differentially expressed genes(DEGs)were enriched in the meiotic cell cycle pathway,and genes related to gonadal differentiation,such as esrrb and wt1a,were found to have sex-specific isoforms.Thus,this study revealed AS events in the gonadal transcriptomes of male and female C.semilaevis,described the characteristics of active transcription in the testes,and identified candidate genes for studying the regulatory mechanisms of AS during gonadal differentiation.
基金supported by the National Key Technology R&D Program of China (Grant No.2011BAD35B02)the National Key Transform Program of China (Grant No.2011ZX08001-002)+1 种基金Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No.LQ14C130003)the Super Rice Breeding Innovation Team and Rice Heterosis Mechanism Research Innovation Team of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences Innovation Project, China (Grant No.CAAS-ASTIP2013-CNRRI)
文摘We identified the rice floral organ development mutant, termed as open hull and male sterile 1 （ohms1）, from the progeny of the indica restorer line Zhonghui 8015 treated with 60Co γ-ray irradiation. The ohms1 mutant exhibited an open hull and lemma- and palea-like structure conversion between the anthers and stigma, which resulted in the ohms1 mutant spikelet showing‘tridentate lemma＇. The ohms1 mutant was entirely sterile but had 60%-70% fertile pollen. Genetic analysis and gene mapping showed that ohms1 was controlled by a single recessive gene, and the mutant gene was fine-mapped to a 42-kb interval on the short arm of chromosome 3 between markers KY2 and KY29. Sequence analysis of the four open reading frames in this region revealed that the mutant carried a single nucleotide transformation （A to G） at the last base of the fifth intron, which was likely corresponded to ohms1 phynotype, in an MIKC type MADS-box gene OsMADS1 （LOC_Os03g11614）. Enzyme digestion and cDNA sequencing further indicated that the variable splicing was responsible for the deletion of the sixth exon in ohms1, but no structural changes in the MADS domain or amino acid frame shifts appeared. Additionally, real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR analysis showed that the OsMADS1 expression level decreased significantly in the ohms1 mutant. The expression levels of rice flowering factors and floral glume development-related genes also changed significantly. These results demonstrate that OsMADS1 may play an important role in rice floral organ development, particularly in floral glume development and floret primordium differentiation.
文摘The splicing of many alternative exons in the precursor messenger RNA (pre-mRNA) is regulated by extracellular factors but the underlying molecular bases remain unclear. Here we report the differential regulation of Bcl-x pre-mRNA splicing by extracellular factors and their distinct requirements for pre-mRNA elements. In K562 leukemia cells, treatment with interleukin-6 (IL-6) or granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) reduced the proportion of the Bcl-xL variant mRNA while treatment with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA) had no effect. In U251 glioma cells, however, TPA efficiently increased the Bcl-xL level. These regulations were also seen for a transfected splicing reporter mini-gene. Further analyses of deletion mutants indicate that nucleotides 1-176 of the downstream intron are required for the IL-6 effect, whereas additional nucleotides 177-284 are essential for the GM-CSF effect. As for the TPA effect, only nucleotides 1-76 are required in the downstream intron. Thus, IL-6, GM-CSF and TPA differentially regulate Bcl-x splicing and require specific intronic pre-mRNA sequences for their respective effects.
基金This work was supported by Natural Sciences Foundation of Guangdong Province(No.0409078)Natural Sciences Foundation from the Education Department of Guangdong Province(No.z02051).
文摘Alternative splicing is a major contributor to genomic complexity and proteome diversity,yet the analysis of alternative splicing for the sequence containing nucleotide binding site and leucine-rich repeats(NBS-LRR)domain has not been explored in rice(Oryza sativa L.).Hidden Markov model(HMM)searches were performed for NBS-LRR domain.875 NBS-LRR-encoding sequences were obtained from the Institute for Genomic Research(TIGR).All of them were used to blast Knowledge-based Oryza Molecular Biological Encyclopaedia(KOME),TIGR rice gene index(TGI),and Universal Protein Resource(UniProt)to obtain homologous full-length cDNAs(FL-cDNAs),tentative consensus sequences,and protein sequences.Alternative splicing events were detected from genomic alignment of FL-cDNAs,tentative consensus sequences,and protein sequences,which provide valuable information on splice variants of genes.These sequences were aligned to the corresponding BAC sequences using the Spidey and Sim4 programs and each of the proteins was aligned by tBLASTn.Of the 875 NBS-LRR sequences,119(13.6%)sequences had alternative splicing where multiple FL-cDNAs,TGI sequences and proteins corresponded to the same gene.71 intron retention events,20 exon skipping events,16 alternative termination events,25 alternative initiation events,12 alternative 5'splicing events,and 16 alternative 3'splicing events were identified.Most of these alternative splices were supported by two or more transcripts.The data sets are available at http://www.bioinfor.org.Furthermore,the bioinformatics analysis of splice boundaries showed that exon skipping and intron retention did not exhibit strong consensus.This implies a different regulation mechanism that guides the expression of splice isoforms.This article also presents the analysis of the effects of intron retention on proteins.The C-terminal regions of alternative proteins turned out to be more variable than the N-terminal regions.Finally,tissue distribution and protein localization of alternative splicing were explored.The largest categories of tissue distributions for alternative splicing were shoot and callus.More than one-thirds of protein localization for splice forms was plasma membrane and cytoplasm.All the NBS-LRR proteins for splice forms may have important function in disease resistance and activate downstream signaling pathways.
文摘Alternative splicing,which is a common phenomenon in mammalian genomes,is a fundamental process of gene regulation and contributes to great protein diversity.Alternative splicing events not only occur in the normal gene regulation process but are also closely related to certain diseases including cancer.In this review,we briefly demonstrate the concept of alternative splicing and DNA damage and describe the association of alternative splicing and cancer pathogenesis,focusing on the potential relationship of alternative splicing,DNA damage,and gastrointestinal cancers.We will also discuss whether alternative splicing leads to genetic instability,which is considered to be a driving force for tumorigenesis.Better understanding of the role and mechanism of alternative splicing in tumorigenesis may provide new directions for future cancer studies.
文摘Accumulating evidence supports the significance of aberrant alternative splicing(AS)events in cancer;however,genome-wide profiling of progression-free survival(PFS)-related AS events in testicular germ cell tumors(TGCT)has not been reported.Here,we analyzed high-throughput RNA-sequencing data and percent-spliced-in values for 150 patients with TGCT.Using univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis and a least absolute shrinkage and selection operator method,we identified the top 15 AS events most closely associated with disease progression.A risk-associated AS score(ASS)for the 15 AS events was calculated for each patient.ASS,pathological stage,and T stage were significantly associated with disease progression by univariate analysis,but only ASS and pathological stage remained significant by multivariate analysis.The ability of these variables to predict 5-year progression was assessed using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis.ASS had stronger predictive value than a combination of age,pathological stage,and T stage(area under the curve=0.899 and 0.715,respectively).Furthermore,Kaplan—Meier analysis of patients with low and high ASS demonstrated that high ASS was associated with significantly worse PFS than low ASS(P=1.46 × 10^(-7)).We also analyzed the biological functions of the PFS-related AS-related genes and found enrichment in pathways associated with DNA repair and modification.Finally,we identified a regulatory network of splicing factors with expression levels that correlated significantly with AS events in TGCT.Collectively,this study identifies a novel method for risk stratification of patients and provides insight into the molecular events underlying TGCT.
