Project description:In the quick cross-linking ligation and sequencing of hybrids (qCLASH) protocol, RNA-protein (RNP) complexes of interest are UV cross-linked in living cells. The protein of interest is purified by immunoprecipitation (in this case, AGO bound to the miRNA and the target gene). The two interacting RNA molecules (e.g. miRNA-mRNA) are physically bound to each other by intermolecular RNA-RNA ligation, followed by library preparation and sequencing oh hybrids.
Project description:KS lesions consist of endothelial cells latently infected with KSHV which express the KSHV miRNAs. Identifying the targets of the KSHV miRNAs will help us understand their role in viral oncogenesis. Cross-Linking and Sequencing of Hybrids (CLASH) is a method for unambiguously identifying miRNA targetomes. We developed a streamlined version of CLASH, called quick CLASH (qCLASH). qCLASH requires a lower initial input of cells than its parent protocol. Additionally, a new fast-growing KSHV-negative endothelial cell line, named TIVE-EX-LTC cells, was established. qCLASH was performed on TIVE-EX-LTC cells latently infected with WT KSHV or a mutant virus lacking miR-K12-11/11*. A number of novel targets of the KSHV miRNAs were identified, including targets of miR-K12-11, the ortholog of cellular oncomiR miR-155. Many of the miRNA targets were involved in processes related to oncogenesis, such as glycolysis, angiogenesis, and cell cycle control.
Project description:In EBV-associated tumors, such as gastric cancer (GC) and Burkitt’s lymphoma (BL), a high proportion of microRNAs are virally encoded. To explore the targets of both viral and host microRNAs, we performed Crosslinking, Ligation, and Sequencing of Hybrids (CLASH). With this approach, we were able to quantify each Argonaute-bound microRNA-mRNA interaction in a GC (SNU719), and BL (Akata) cell line.
Project description:MicroRNAs (miRNA) are short non-coding RNAs widely implicated in development, gene regulation, and disease progression. Most miRNAs utilize the RNase III enzymes Drosha and Dicer for biogenesis in animals. One notable exception is the RNA polymerase II transcription start sites (TSS) miRNAs whose biogenesis requires Dicer but not Drosha. The functional importance of the TSS-miRNA biogenesis pathway has remained uncertain due to their unelucidated targetomes. To better understand the function of TSS-miRNAs, we applied a modified Crosslinking, Ligation, and Sequencing of Hybrids on Argonaute (Ago-qCLASH) to identify the targets for TSS-miRNAs in HCT116 colorectal cancer cells with or without Drosha knockout (KO). We observed that miR-320a hybrids dominate in TSS-miRNA hybrids identified by Ago-qCLASH. Targets for miR-320a are enriched in the eIF2 signaling pathway, a downstream component of the unfolded protein response. Consistently, in miR-320a mimic- and inhibitor- transfected cells, differentially expressed genes are enriched in the eIF2 signaling pathway. Within the Ago-qCLASH data, we identified the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) chaperone Calnexin as a direct miR-320a target, thus connecting miR-320a to the unfolded protein response. During ER stress, but not amino acid deprivation, miR-320a up-regulates ATF4, a critical transcription factor for resolving ER stress. Our study helps to elucidate the targetome of the TSS-miRNAs in colorectal cancer cells and establishes miR-320a as a regulator of unfolded protein response.
Project description:The genetic mechanisms underlying hybridization are poorly understood despite their potentially important roles in speciation processes, adaptative evolution, and agronomical innovation. In this study, transcription profiles were compared among three populations of brook charr and their hybrids using microarrays to assess the influence of hybrid origin on modes of transcription regulation inheritance and on the mechanisms underlying growth. We found that twice as many transcripts were differently expressed between the domestic strain and the two wild populations (Rupert and Laval) than between wild ones, despite their deeper genetic distance. This could reflect the consequence of artificial selection during domestication. We detected that hybrids exhibited strikingly different patterns of mode of transcription regulation, being mostly additive (94%) for domestic × Rupert, and non-additive for Laval × domestic (45.7%) and Rupert × Laval hybrids (37.5%). Both heterosis and outbreeding depression for growth were observed among the crosses. Our results indicated that prevalence of dominance in transcription regulation seems related to growth heterosis, while prevalence of transgressive transcription regulation may be more related to outbreeding depression. Our study clearly shows, for the first time in vertebrates, that the consequences of hybridization on both the transcriptome level and the phenotype are highly dependent on the specific genetic architectures of crossed populations and therefore hardly predictable.