Evolution of antagonism among DUX family members from an ancestral toxic single homeodomain protein
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT:
ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens
PROVIDER: GSE214245 | GEO | 2023/02/08
REPOSITORIES: GEO
Similar Datasets
Project description:Double homeobox genes are unique to eutherian mammals, transiently expressed in early blastomere-stage embryos, and comprise 3 clades (DUXA, B, C) evolved by homeobox duplication and divergence from an ancestral single homeobox gene, sDUX, present in other vertebrates. We test platypus sDUX and find that it drives cytotoxicity and inhibition of myogenesis identical to DUX4, the human DUXC gene. sDUX binds DNA as a head-to-head dimer, with protein core and DNA nearly overlapping the DUX4-DNA crystal structure. Although DUXA lacks transcriptional activity, DUXA-VP64 transcriptome and chromatin accessibility profiles significantly overlap those of DUX4 and sDUX, including expression of ZGA genes and LTR elements. Furthermore, DUXA binds DUX4 sites at most DUX4 target genes and counteracts transcriptional activity of DUX4, including in FSHD patient cells, potentiating a feedback inhibitory loop. The DUX gene family therefore comprises cross-regulating members of opposing function, with implications for their roles in ZGA, FSHD, and cancer.
2023-02-08 | GSE214228 | GEO
Project description:Double homeobox genes are unique to eutherian mammals, transiently expressed in early blastomere-stage embryos, and comprise 3 clades (DUXA, B, C) evolved by homeobox duplication and divergence from an ancestral single homeobox gene, sDUX, present in other vertebrates. We test platypus sDUX and find that it drives cytotoxicity and inhibition of myogenesis identical to DUX4, the human DUXC gene. sDUX binds DNA as a head-to-head dimer, with protein core and DNA nearly overlapping the DUX4-DNA crystal structure. Although DUXA lacks transcriptional activity, DUXA-VP64 transcriptome and chromatin accessibility profiles significantly overlap those of DUX4 and sDUX, including expression of ZGA genes and LTR elements. Furthermore, DUXA binds DUX4 sites at most DUX4 target genes and counteracts transcriptional activity of DUX4, including in FSHD patient cells, potentiating a feedback inhibitory loop. The DUX gene family therefore comprises cross-regulating members of opposing function, with implications for their roles in ZGA, FSHD, and cancer.
2023-02-08 | GSE214229 | GEO
Project description:The human double-homeodomain retrogene DUX4 is expressed in the testis and epigenetically repressed in somatic tissues. Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) is caused by mutations that decrease the epigenetic repression of DUX4 in somatic tissues and result in mis-expression of this transcription factor in skeletal muscle. DUX4 binds sites in the human genome that contain a double-homeobox sequence motif, including sites in unique regions of the genome as well as many sites in repetitive elements. Using ChIP-seq and RNA-seq on myoblasts transduced with DUX4 we show that DUX4 binds and activates transcription of mammalian apparent LTR-retrotransposons (MaLRs), endogenous retrovirus (ERVL and ERVK) elements, and pericentromeric satellite HSATII sequences. Some DUX4-activated MaLR and ERV elements create novel promoters for genes, long non-coding RNAs, and antisense transcripts. Many of these novel transcripts are expressed in FSHD muscle cells but not control cells, and thus might contribute to FSHD pathology. For example, HEY1, a repressor of myogenesis, is activated by DUX4 through a MaLR promoter. DUX4-bound motifs, including those in repetitive elements, show evolutionary conservation and some repeat-initiated transcripts are expressed in healthy testis, the normal expression site of DUX4, but more rarely in other somatic tissues. Testis expression patterns are known to have evolved rapidly in mammals, but the mechanisms behind this rapid change have not yet been identified: our results suggest that mobilization of MaLR and ERV elements during mammalian evolution altered germline gene expression patterns through transcriptional activation by DUX4. Our findings demonstrate a role for DUX4 and repetitive elements in mammalian germline evolution and in FSHD muscular dystrophy. RNA-seq of differentiated human primary myotube cell lines for FSHD patients and control samples Raw data not provided due to patient privacy concerns.
2014-03-19 | E-GEOD-51041 | biostudies-arrayexpress
Project description:FSHD is characterized by the misexpression of DUX4 in skeletal muscle. Although DUX4 upregulation is thought to be the pathogenic cause of FSHD, DUX4 is lowly expressed in patient samples, and analysis of the consequences of DUX4 expression has largely relied on artificial overexpression. To better understand the native expression profile of DUX4 and its targets, we first performed pooled RNA-seq on a 6-day differentiation time-course in FSHD2 patient-derived primary myoblasts. We identify a set of 54 FSHD-induced genes upregulated in FSHD2 cells starting at day 2 of differentiation through the end of the time-course. Using single-cell and single-nucleus RNA-seq on FSHD2 myoblasts and day 3 and day 5 differentiated myotubes respectively, we captured, for the first time, DUX4 expressed at the single-nucleus level in a native state. We identified two populations of FSHD myotube nuclei based on low or high enrichment of DUX4 and FSHD-induced genes (FSHD-Lo and “FSHD Hi”, respectively). FSHD-Hi nuclei upregulate many cell cycle related genes with significant enrichment of E2F target genes and p53 signaling activation. In FSHD-Hi myotube nuclei, multiple DUX4 target genes are co-expressed including a set of transcription factors, such as DUXA, ZSCAN4 and LEUTX. DUXA (the DUX4 paralog) is more widely expressed than DUX4, and depletion of DUXA suppressed the expression of LEUTX and ZSCAN4 in late, but not early, differentiation. The results indicate that the DUXA can take over the role of DUX4 and maintain target gene expression. These results may provide explanation as to why it is easier to detect and monitor DUX4 target genes than DUX4 itself in patient cells and suggest a self-sustaining network of gene dysregulation that perpetuates this disease after DUX4 is no longer expressed.
2020-04-07 | GSE143453 | GEO
Project description:FSHD is characterized by the misexpression of DUX4 in skeletal muscle. Although DUX4 upregulation is thought to be the pathogenic cause of FSHD, DUX4 is lowly expressed in patient samples, and analysis of the consequences of DUX4 expression has largely relied on artificial overexpression. To better understand the native expression profile of DUX4 and its targets, we first performed pooled RNA-seq on a 6-day differentiation time-course in FSHD2 patient-derived primary myoblasts. We identify a set of 54 FSHD-induced genes upregulated in FSHD2 cells starting at day 2 of differentiation through the end of the time-course. Using single-cell and single-nucleus RNA-seq on FSHD2 myoblasts and day 3 and day 5 differentiated myotubes respectively, we captured, for the first time, DUX4 expressed at the single-nucleus level in a native state. We identified two populations of FSHD myotube nuclei based on low or high enrichment of DUX4 and FSHD-induced genes (FSHD-Lo and “FSHD Hi”, respectively). FSHD-Hi nuclei upregulate many cell cycle related genes with significant enrichment of E2F target genes and p53 signaling activation. In FSHD-Hi myotube nuclei, multiple DUX4 target genes are co-expressed including a set of transcription factors, such as DUXA, ZSCAN4 and LEUTX. DUXA (the DUX4 paralog) is more widely expressed than DUX4, and depletion of DUXA suppressed the expression of LEUTX and ZSCAN4 in late, but not early, differentiation. The results indicate that the DUXA can take over the role of DUX4 and maintain target gene expression. These results may provide explanation as to why it is easier to detect and monitor DUX4 target genes than DUX4 itself in patient cells and suggest a self-sustaining network of gene dysregulation that perpetuates this disease after DUX4 is no longer expressed.
2020-04-07 | GSE143452 | GEO
Project description:FSHD is characterized by the misexpression of DUX4 in skeletal muscle. Although DUX4 upregulation is thought to be the pathogenic cause of FSHD, DUX4 is lowly expressed in patient samples, and analysis of the consequences of DUX4 expression has largely relied on artificial overexpression. To better understand the native expression profile of DUX4 and its targets, we first performed pooled RNA-seq on a 6-day differentiation time-course in FSHD2 patient-derived primary myoblasts. We identify a set of 54 FSHD-induced genes upregulated in FSHD2 cells starting at day 2 of differentiation through the end of the time-course. Using single-cell and single-nucleus RNA-seq on FSHD2 myoblasts and day 3 and day 5 differentiated myotubes respectively, we captured, for the first time, DUX4 expressed at the single-nucleus level in a native state. We identified two populations of FSHD myotube nuclei based on low or high enrichment of DUX4 and FSHD-induced genes (FSHD-Lo and “FSHD Hi”, respectively). FSHD-Hi nuclei upregulate many cell cycle related genes with significant enrichment of E2F target genes and p53 signaling activation. In FSHD-Hi myotube nuclei, multiple DUX4 target genes are co-expressed including a set of transcription factors, such as DUXA, ZSCAN4 and LEUTX. DUXA (the DUX4 paralog) is more widely expressed than DUX4, and depletion of DUXA suppressed the expression of LEUTX and ZSCAN4 in late, but not early, differentiation. The results indicate that the DUXA can take over the role of DUX4 and maintain target gene expression. These results may provide explanation as to why it is easier to detect and monitor DUX4 target genes than DUX4 itself in patient cells and suggest a self-sustaining network of gene dysregulation that perpetuates this disease after DUX4 is no longer expressed.
2020-04-07 | GSE143492 | GEO
Project description:The human double-homeodomain retrogene DUX4 is expressed in the testis and epigenetically repressed in somatic tissues. Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) is caused by mutations that decrease the epigenetic repression of DUX4 in somatic tissues and result in mis-expression of this transcription factor in skeletal muscle. DUX4 binds sites in the human genome that contain a double-homeobox sequence motif, including sites in unique regions of the genome as well as many sites in repetitive elements. Using ChIP-seq and RNA-seq on myoblasts transduced with DUX4 we show that DUX4 binds and activates transcription of mammalian apparent LTR-retrotransposons (MaLRs), endogenous retrovirus (ERVL and ERVK) elements, and pericentromeric satellite HSATII sequences. Some DUX4-activated MaLR and ERV elements create novel promoters for genes, long non-coding RNAs, and antisense transcripts. Many of these novel transcripts are expressed in FSHD muscle cells but not control cells, and thus might contribute to FSHD pathology. For example, HEY1, a repressor of myogenesis, is activated by DUX4 through a MaLR promoter. DUX4-bound motifs, including those in repetitive elements, show evolutionary conservation and some repeat-initiated transcripts are expressed in healthy testis, the normal expression site of DUX4, but more rarely in other somatic tissues. Testis expression patterns are known to have evolved rapidly in mammals, but the mechanisms behind this rapid change have not yet been identified: our results suggest that mobilization of MaLR and ERV elements during mammalian evolution altered germline gene expression patterns through transcriptional activation by DUX4. Our findings demonstrate a role for DUX4 and repetitive elements in mammalian germline evolution and in FSHD muscular dystrophy.
2014-03-19 | GSE51041 | GEO
Project description:DUX4 is a double homeodomain transcription factor whose misexpression in the muscle causes facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD). The transcriptional activity of DUX4 has been extensively characterized, and is thought to be the primary driver of FSHD pathogenesis. Yet, DUX4 expression lowers the protein level of an RNA quality control factor, UPF1, without affecting its transcript level, hinting at post-transcriptional regulatory activity downstream of DUX4 expression. How extensive the post-transcriptional activity of DUX4 is, and how relevant it is to FSHD pathogenesis, is unknown. In order to gain insight into DUX4-induced post-transcriptional gene regulation, we measured transcript and protein levels in DUX4 expressing cells via RNA-seq and SILAC-based quantitative mass spectrometry, respectively. We show that DUX4 transcriptional targets are robustly translated, including those genes previously identified as potential FSHD biomarkers. However, comparing the overall pattern of gene expression changes for RNA versus protein reveals striking differences in the most highly activated pathways, with the former showing changes in RNA processing and splicing, and the latter affecting the humoral immune response, proteolysis and exocytosis, among other pathways. Consistent with a misregulation of exocytosis, fluorescence imaging shows fragmented golgi apparatus in DUX4-expressing cells. Of the genes that showed discordant RNA and protein expression levels, post-transcriptional buffering was particularly evident for genes involved in stress response and may explain why DUX4-expressing cells succumb to toxicity despite robust transcriptional activation of stress response genes. Moreover, several genes involved in RNA decay including UPF1, UPF3B, SMG6 and XRN1 showed downregulation at the protein level, which may explain the massive inhibition of RNA quality control in DUX4-expressing cells. These results highlight the importance of considering post-transcriptional gene regulation in DUX4-expressing cells in order to fully understand the FSHD disease process.
2019-01-21 | PXD010221 | Pride
Project description:Facioscapulohumeral dystrophy (FSHD) is caused by the mis-expression of the double-homeodomain transcription factor DUX4 in skeletal muscle cells. Many different cell culture models have been developed to study the pathophysiology of FSHD, frequently based on endogenous expression of DUX4 in FSHD cells or by mis-expression of DUX4 in control human muscle cells. Although results generated using each model are generally consistent, differences have also been reported, making it unclear which model(s) faithfully recapitulate DUX4 and FSHD biology. In this study, we systematically compared RNA-seq data generated from three different models of FSHD—lentiviral-based DUX4 expression in myoblasts, doxycycline-inducible DUX4 in myoblasts, and differentiated human FSHD myocytes expressing endogenous DUX4—and show that the DUX4-associated gene expression signatures of each dataset are highly correlated (Pearson’s correlation coefficient, r ~ 0.75-0.85). The few robust differences were attributable to different states of cell differentiation and other differences in experimental design. Our study describes a model system for inducible DUX4 expression that enables reproducible and synchronized experiments and validates the fidelity and FSHD relevance of multiple distinct models of DUX4 expression.
2016-09-21 | GSE85461 | GEO
Project description:Double homeobox genes are unique to eutherian mammals. It has been proposed that the DUXC clade of the double homeobox gene family, which is present in multicopy long tandem arrays, plays an essential role in zygotic genome activation (ZGA). We generated a deletion of the tandem array encoding the DUXC gene of mouse, Double homeobox (Dux), and found it surprisingly to be homozygous viable and fertile. We characterize the embryonic development and ZGA profile of knockout (KO) embryos, finding that zygotic genome activation still occurs, with only modest alterations in 2-cell embryo gene expression, no defect in in vivo preimplantation development, but an increased likelihood of post-implantation developmental failure, leading to correspondingly smaller litter sizes in the KO strain. While all known 2-cell specific Dux target genes are still expressed in the KO, a subset is expressed at lower levels. These include numerous genes involved in methylation, blastocyst development, and trophectoderm/placental development. We propose that rather than driving ZGA, which is a process common throughout the animal kingdom, DUXC genes facilitate a process unique to eutherian mammals, namely the post-implantation development enabled by an invasive placenta.
2021-03-04 | GSE142043 | GEO