Argonaute Binding within 3’-Untranslated Regions Does Not Predict Gene Repression
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: Despite two decades of study, the full scope of RNAi in mammalian cells has remained obscure. Here we combine: 1) Knockout of argonaute (AGO) variants; 2) RNA sequencing analysis of gene expression changes; and 3) Enhanced Crosslinking Immunoprecipitation Sequencing (eCLIP-seq) using anti-AGO2 antibody to identify potential microRNA (miRNA) binding sites. We find that knocking out AGO1, AGO2, and AGO3 are necessary to achieve full impact on gene expression. eCLIP-seq reveals several hundred significant AGO2 associations within 3’-untranslated regions. The standard mechanism of miRNA action would suggest that these associations repress gene expression. Contrary to this expectation, associations between AGO and RNA are poorly correlated with gene repression in wild-type versus knockout cells. Many clusters are associated with increased gene expression in wild-type versus knock out cells, including the strongest cluster within the MYC 3’-UTR. Our results suggest that assumptions about miRNA action should be re-examined.
Project description:Mammalian RNA interference (RNAi) is often linked to regulation in the cytoplasm. While synthetic RNAs regulate transcription and splicing, endogenous functions for nuclear RNAi have been obscure. Using enhanced crosslinking immunoprecipitation (eCLIP), we mapped AGO2 binding sites within nuclear RNA. The strongest AGO binding sites mapped to miRNAs. The prevalence of individual miRNAs was similar in the cytoplasm and the nucleus. Most statistically-significant AGO2 binding was within intron boundaries. RNAseq comparing AGO1, AGO2, AGO1/2, and AGO1/2/3 knockout to wild-type cells revealed that binding was associated with both up- and down-regulation of gene expression. We observed changes of splicing at genes with significant AGO binding at exon/intron junctions or within introns. Splicing changes were confirmed by RT-PCR and could be recapitulated by synthetic duplex RNAs that target the sites of AGO binding. Inhibition of miRNA action by addition of an anti-miR reversed miRNA-mediated control of splicing. We conclude: 1) That AGO binding sites occur throughout nuclear RNA but are often within introns; 2) The distribution of miRNAs is similar in the nucleus and cytoplasm; and 3) miRNAs can control gene splicing. Nuclear RNAi has the potential to be a natural regulatory mechanism but careful study will be necessary to identify critical RNA drivers of normal physiology and disease.
Project description:In this study we examine the impact of cell confluency on gene expression. We focused on Argonaute (AGO) protein dynamics and associated gene and protein expression in HEK293, A375, and SHSY5Y cell lines. As a consequence of cell confluency, AGO2 protein translocates into the nucleus. Therefore, we generated transcriptomic data using RNA sequencing to compare gene expression in subconfluent versus confluent cells, which highlighted significant alterations in gene regulation patterns directly corresponding to changes in cell density. Our study also encompasses miRNA profiling data obtained through small RNA sequencing, revealing miRNA expressional changes dependent on cellular confluency, as well as cellular localization. Finally, we derived proteomic data from mass spectrometry analyses following AGO1-4 immunoprecipitation, providing a comprehensive view of AGO interactome in both nuclear and cytoplasmic compartments under varying confluency. These datasets offer a detailed exploration of the cellular and molecular dynamics, influenced by cell confluency, presenting a valuable resource for further research in cellular biology, particularly in understanding the basic mechanisms of cell density in cancer cells.
Project description:microRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that function in literally all cellular processes. miRNAs interact with Argonaute (Ago) proteins and guide them to specific target sites located in the 3’ untranslated region (UTR) of target mRNAs leading to translational repression and deadenylation-induced mRNA degradation. Most miRNAs are processed from hairpin-structured precursors by the consecutive action of the RNase III enzymes Drosha and Dicer. However, processing of miR-451 is Dicer-independent and cleavage is mediated by the endonuclease Ago2. Here we have characterized miR-451 sequence and structure requirements for processing as well as sorting of miRNAs into different Ago proteins. Pre-miR-451 appears to be optimized for Ago2 cleavage and changes result in reduced processing. In addition, we show that the mature miR-451 only associates with Ago2 suggesting that mature miRNAs are not exchanged between different members of the Ago protein family. Based on cloning and deep sequencing of endogenous miRNAs associated with Ago1-3, we do not find evidence for miRNA sorting in human cells. However, Ago identity appears to influence the length of some miRNAs, while others remain unaffected. Examination of miRNAs associated with endogenous human Ago1-4 in HeLa cells
Project description:Arabidopsis encodes ten ARGONAUTE (AGO) effectors of RNA silencing, canonically loaded with either 21-22nt small RNAs (sRNA) to mediate post-transcriptional-gene-silencing (PTGS) or 24nt sRNAs to promote RNA-directed-DNA-methylation. Using full-locus constructs, we characterized the expression, biochemical properties, and possible modes of action of AGO3. Although AGO3 arose from a recent duplication at the AGO2 locus, their expression differs drastically, with AGO3 prevailing in aerial vascular terminations and specifically in chalazal seed integuments; accordingly, AGO3 down-regulation alters gene expression in siliques. Similar to AGO2, AGO3 binds sRNAs with a strong 5’-adenosine bias, but unlike most Arabidopsis AGOs - AGO2 included - it binds efficiently both 24nt and 21nt sRNAs. AGO3 immuno precipitation experiments in siliques revealed that these sRNAs mostly associate to genes and intergenic regions and not to canonical AGO targets, such as transposable elements. AGO3 localizes to the cytoplasm and co-fractionates with polysomes to possibly mediate PTGS via translation inhibition.
Project description:Ago2, an essential effector for miRNA function, has been reported to be found in the nucleus together with miRNA. The miRNA-Ago complexes in the nucleus play an important role in regulating gene transcription. We previously have demonstrated the nuclear presence of miR-204-3p in macrophages. Here, we investigated and compared the Ago2 occupancy on the chromosomes upon miR-204-3p overexpression.
Project description:microRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that function in literally all cellular processes. miRNAs interact with Argonaute (Ago) proteins and guide them to specific target sites located in the 3’ untranslated region (UTR) of target mRNAs leading to translational repression and deadenylation-induced mRNA degradation. Most miRNAs are processed from hairpin-structured precursors by the consecutive action of the RNase III enzymes Drosha and Dicer. However, processing of miR-451 is Dicer-independent and cleavage is mediated by the endonuclease Ago2. Here we have characterized miR-451 sequence and structure requirements for processing as well as sorting of miRNAs into different Ago proteins. Pre-miR-451 appears to be optimized for Ago2 cleavage and changes result in reduced processing. In addition, we show that the mature miR-451 only associates with Ago2 suggesting that mature miRNAs are not exchanged between different members of the Ago protein family. Based on cloning and deep sequencing of endogenous miRNAs associated with Ago1-3, we do not find evidence for miRNA sorting in human cells. However, Ago identity appears to influence the length of some miRNAs, while others remain unaffected.
Project description:Small regulatory RNAs including small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) guide Argonaute (Ago) proteins to specific target RNAs leading to mRNA destabilization or translational repression. We recently reported the identification of Importin 8 (Imp8) as a novel component of miRNA-guided regulatory pathways. Imp8 interacts with Ago proteins and localizes to cytoplasmic processing bodies (P-bodies), structures involved in RNA metabolism. For this micro-array dataset, we used immunoprecipitations of Ago2-associated mRNAs followed by micro-array analysis. The results demonstrate that Imp8 is required for recruiting Ago protein complexes to a large set of Ago2-associated target mRNAs allowing for efficient and specific gene silencing. Therefore, we provide evidence that Imp8 is required for cytoplasmic miRNA-guided gene silencing.
Project description:Argonaute (AGO) proteins execute Micro-RNA (miRNA) mediated gene silencing. However it is currently debated whether all 4 mammalian AGO proteins (AGO1, AGO2, AGO3 and AGO4) are required for miRNA activity. To address this, we generated a mouse with deleted Ago1, Ago3 and Ago4 genes (Ago134), and found that these Argonaute proteins are completely redundant for miRNA biogenesis, miRNA homeostasis or miRNA function, a role that is carried out exclusively by AGO2. Instead, AGO1/3/4 are required to curtail the expansion of Type-2 adaptive immunity in mice via regulation of precursor-mRNA (pre-mRNA) splicing in CD4+ TH lymphocytes. Gain- and loss-of-function experiments demonstrate that nuclear AGO3 interacts directly with SF3B3, a component of the U2 spliceosome complex, to aid global mRNA splicing. Our work uncouples AGO1, AGO3 and AGO4 from miRNA-mediated RNAi, discovers a new AGO3:SF3B3 complex in the cellular nucleus, and reveals an underappreciated mechanism by which AGO proteins prevent hyper-inflammatory disease.
Project description:Argonaute (AGO) proteins execute Micro-RNA (miRNA) mediated gene silencing. However it is currently debated whether all 4 mammalian AGO proteins (AGO1, AGO2, AGO3 and AGO4) are required for miRNA activity. To address this, we generated a mouse with deleted Ago1, Ago3 and Ago4 genes (Ago134), and found that these Argonaute proteins are completely redundant for miRNA biogenesis, miRNA homeostasis or miRNA function, a role that is carried out exclusively by AGO2. Instead, AGO1/3/4 are required to curtail the expansion of Type-2 adaptive immunity in mice via regulation of precursor-mRNA (pre-mRNA) splicing in CD4+ TH lymphocytes. Gain- and loss-of-function experiments demonstrate that nuclear AGO3 interacts directly with SF3B3, a component of the U2 spliceosome complex, to aid global mRNA splicing. Our work uncouples AGO1, AGO3 and AGO4 from miRNA-mediated RNAi, discovers a new AGO3:SF3B3 complex in the cellular nucleus, and reveals an underappreciated mechanism by which AGO proteins prevent hyper-inflammatory disease.
Project description:Argonaute (AGO) proteins execute Micro-RNA (miRNA) mediated gene silencing. However it is currently debated whether all 4 mammalian AGO proteins (AGO1, AGO2, AGO3 and AGO4) are required for miRNA activity. To address this, we generated a mouse with deleted Ago1, Ago3 and Ago4 genes (Ago134), and found that these Argonaute proteins are completely redundant for miRNA biogenesis, miRNA homeostasis or miRNA function, a role that is carried out exclusively by AGO2. Instead, AGO1/3/4 are required to curtail the expansion of Type-2 adaptive immunity in mice via regulation of precursor-mRNA (pre-mRNA) splicing in CD4+ TH lymphocytes. Gain- and loss-of-function experiments demonstrate that nuclear AGO3 interacts directly with SF3B3, a component of the U2 spliceosome complex, to aid global mRNA splicing. Our work uncouples AGO1, AGO3 and AGO4 from miRNA-mediated RNAi, discovers a new AGO3:SF3B3 complex in the cellular nucleus, and reveals an underappreciated mechanism by which AGO proteins prevent hyper-inflammatory disease.