Project description:We report a genome-wide mapping of DNA G-quadruplexes and histone modifications in living neurons. We used primary cultured neurons from the fetus mouse cortex. Cultured cells were treated with 2 µM Ara-C at DIV3 to prevent the proliferation of mitotic cells and were harvested at DIV10. For iG4 CUT&Tag, a BG4-expressing plasmid was transfected by electroporation at DIV0.
Project description:In vitro, some RNAs can form stable four-stranded structures known as G-quadruplexes. Although RNA G-quadruplex structures have been implicated in post-transcriptional gene regulation and diseases, direct evidence for quadruplex formation in cells has been lacking. Here, we developed a suite of methods that identify RNAs with quadruplex-forming ability and measure their folding state in living cells. Applying these methods to mammalian cell lines, the budding yeast S. cerevisiae and several bacteria, we characterized the folding landscapes of RNA G-quadruplexes in these species.
Project description:We have engineered the chromatin-modifying apparatus and formulated a novel technology, termed Clickable Chromatin Enrichment with parallel DNA sequencing (CliEn-seq), to probe genome-wide chromatin modification within living cells.
Project description:The identification of DNA G-quadruplexes (G4s) in the genome is important to study different biological processes in which these structures play a role, such as genome rearrangement, transcriptional regulation and DNA replication. G4-seq allowed the high-throughput experimental mapping of G-quadruplexes in the human genome. We developed here an improved version of this method, named G4-seq2, which we applied to generate G-quadruplexes genomic maps for 12 species, selected as important models organism to study development or as pathogens of clinical relevance. Those multi-species maps, publicly available for the community, will allow to further understand the design principle of G-quadruplex formation in genomic context, to study G-quadruplex biology in those model organisms, to predict ligand targeting for therapeutic usage and to design G-quadruplex computational predictors based on genome-wide experimental measurements.
Project description:G-quadruplex (G4) structures formed by guanine-rich nucleic acids are implicated in essential physiological and pathological processes and serve as important drug targets. The genome-wide detection of G4s in living cells is important for exploring the functional role of G4s but has not yet been achieved due to the lack of a suitable G4 probe. Here we report an artificial 6.7 kDa G4 probe (G4P) protein that binds G4s with high affinity and specificity. We used it to capture G4s in living human, mouse, and chicken cells with the ChIP-Seq technique, yielding genome-wide landscape as well as details on the positions, frequencies, and sequence identities of G4 formation in these cells. Our results indicate that transcription is accompanied by a robust formation of G4s in genes. In human cells, we detected up to >123,000 G4P peaks, of which >1/3 had a fold increase of ≥5 and were present in >60% promoters and ~70% genes. Being much smaller than a scFv antibody (27 kDa) or even a nanobody (12-15 kDa), we expect that the G4P may find diverse applications in biology, medicine, and molecular devices as a G4 affinity agent.
Project description:G-quadruplexes (G4s) are noncanonical DNA secondary structures formed through the self-association of guanines. They are distributed genome-widely and participate in multiple biological processes including gene transcription, and quadruplex-targeted ligands serve as potential therapeutic agents for DNA-targeted therapies. However, the roles of G-quadruplexes in transcriptional regulation remains elusive. Here, we establish a sensitive G4-CUT&Tag method for genome-wide profiling of native G-quadruplexes with high resolution and specificity. We find that native G-quadruplex signals are cell-type specific and are associated with transcriptional regulatory elements with active epigenetic modifications. Promoter-proximal RNA polymerase II pausing promotes native G-quadruplex formation, oppositely, G-quadruplex stabilization by quadruplex-targeted ligands globally reduces RNA polymerase II occupancy at gene promoters as well as nascent RNA synthesis. Moreover, G-quadruplex stabilization modulates chromatin states and impedes transcription initiation via inhibiting the loading of general transcription factors to promoters.Together, these studies reveal a reciprocal regulation between native G-quadruplex dynamics and gene transcription in the genome, which will deepen our knowledge of G-quadruplex biology towards considering therapeutically targeting G-quadruplexes in human diseases.
Project description:We have engineered the chromatin-modifying apparatus and formulated a novel technology, termed Clickable Chromatin Enrichment with parallel DNA sequencing (CliEn-seq), to probe genome-wide chromatin modification within living cells. Examine (E)-hex-2-en-5-ynylation mediated by engineered G9a Y1154A and GLP1 Y1211A in HEK293T cells.
Project description:Enzymes of the TET family are methylcytosine dioxygenases that undergo frequent mutational or functional inactivation in both hematological and solid cancers. Recent studies have identified recurrent loss-of-function mutations in TET proteins in human patients with Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL). Here we investigate the role of TET proteins in the pathogenesis of DLBCL by deleting the Tet2 and Tet3 genes in mature B cells in mice. Tet deletion perturbs mature B-cell homeostasis and causes spontaneous development of Germinal Center-derived B cell lymphomas. We show that an increase in G-quadruplexes and R-loops a common feature of TET deficiency in B cells as well as other hematopoietic cells. Genome-wide analyses revealed that G-quadruplexes and R-loops accumulated primarily near transcription start sites in TET-deficient B cells, and their accumulation correlated with increased DNA double-strand breaks. Moreover, CRISPR-mediated depletion of nucleases and helicases that regulate G-quadruplexes and R-loops led to decreased viability of TET-deficient but not control primary B cells. Our studies elucidate a molecular mechanism by which TET loss-of-function might predispose to development of B cell-derived and other malignancies, and highlight novel therapeutic avenues that could be further explored.