Project description:Stringent regulation of the interferon signaling pathway is essential for maintaining the immune response to pathogens and tumors. The transcription factor STAT1 is a crucial mediator of this response. Here we show that hCAF1/CNOT7 regulates class I and II interferon pathways at different crucial steps. In resting cells hCAF1 can control STAT1 trafficking by interacting with the latent form of STAT1 in the cytoplasm. IFN treatment induces STAT1 release, suggesting that hCAF1 may shield cytoplasmic STAT1 from undesirable stimulation. Consistent, hCAF1 silencing enhances STAT1 basal promoter occupancy associated with increased expression of a subset of STAT1-regulated genes. Consequently, hCAF1 knockdown cells exhibit an increased protection against viral infection and reduced viral replication. Furthermore, hCAF1 participates in the extinction of the IFN signal, through its deadenylase activity, by speeding up the degradation of some STAT1-regulated mRNAs. Since abnormal and unbalanced JAK/STAT activation is associated with immune disorders and cancer, hCAF1 could play a major role in innate immunity and oncogenesis, contributing to tumor escape. mRNAs from cells expressing the siRNA siRNA duplexes targeting hCAF1, corresponding to the coding region 941-961 (kd) (hCAF1 NCBI Reference Sequence: NM_013354.5) and one non-targeting control siRNA (mock).
Project description:We have sequenced miRNA libraries from human embryonic, neural and foetal mesenchymal stem cells. We report that the majority of miRNA genes encode mature isomers that vary in size by one or more bases at the 3’ and/or 5’ end of the miRNA. Northern blotting for individual miRNAs showed that the proportions of isomiRs expressed by a single miRNA gene often differ between cell and tissue types. IsomiRs were readily co-immunoprecipitated with Argonaute proteins in vivo and were active in luciferase assays, indicating that they are functional. Bioinformatics analysis predicts substantial differences in targeting between miRNAs with minor 5’ differences and in support of this we report that a 5’ isomiR-9-1 gained the ability to inhibit the expression of DNMT3B and NCAM2 but lost the ability to inhibit CDH1 in vitro. This result was confirmed by the use of isomiR-specific sponges. Our analysis of the miRGator database indicates that a small percentage of human miRNA genes express isomiRs as the dominant transcript in certain cell types and analysis of miRBase shows that 5’ isomiRs have replaced canonical miRNAs many times during evolution. This strongly indicates that isomiRs are of functional importance and have contributed to the evolution of miRNA genes
Project description:Kynureninase is a member of a large family of catalytically diverse but structurally homologous pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP) dependent enzymes known as the aspartate aminotransferase superfamily or alpha-family. The Homo sapiens and other eukaryotic constitutive kynureninases preferentially catalyze the hydrolytic cleavage of 3-hydroxy-l-kynurenine to produce 3-hydroxyanthranilate and l-alanine, while l-kynurenine is the substrate of many prokaryotic inducible kynureninases. The human enzyme was cloned with an N-terminal hexahistidine tag, expressed, and purified from a bacterial expression system using Ni metal ion affinity chromatography. Kinetic characterization of the recombinant enzyme reveals classic Michaelis-Menten behavior, with a Km of 28.3 +/- 1.9 microM and a specific activity of 1.75 micromol min-1 mg-1 for 3-hydroxy-dl-kynurenine. Crystals of recombinant kynureninase that diffracted to 2.0 A were obtained, and the atomic structure of the PLP-bound holoenzyme was determined by molecular replacement using the Pseudomonas fluorescens kynureninase structure (PDB entry 1qz9) as the phasing model. A structural superposition with the P. fluorescens kynureninase revealed that these two structures resemble the "open" and "closed" conformations of aspartate aminotransferase. The comparison illustrates the dynamic nature of these proteins' small domains and reveals a role for Arg-434 similar to its role in other AAT alpha-family members. Docking of 3-hydroxy-l-kynurenine into the human kynureninase active site suggests that Asn-333 and His-102 are involved in substrate binding and molecular discrimination between inducible and constitutive kynureninase substrates.
Project description:Virus infection induces the production of type I and type II interferons (IFN-I and IFN-II), cytokines that mediate the antiviral response. IFN-I (IFN-a and -b) induces the assembly of ISGF3 (interferon-stimulated gene factor 3), a multimeric transcriptional activation complex comprised of STAT1, STAT2 and IRF9. IFN-II (IFN-g) induces the homodimerization of STAT1 to form the GAF (gamma-activated factor) complex. ISGF3 and GAF bind specifically to distinct regulatory DNA sequences located upstream of IFN-I and II inducible genes, respectively, and activate the expression of distinct set of antiviral genes. The balance between the type I and type II IFN pathways plays a critical role in orchestrating the innate and adaptive immune systems. Here, we show that the phosphorylation of STAT1 by IKKε (IkB-related kinase epsilon) inhibits STAT1 homodimerization, and thus GAF formation, but does not disrupt ISGF3 formation. Therefore, virus and/or IFN-I activation of IKKε suppresses GAF-dependent transcription and promotes ISGF3-dependent transcription. In the absence of IKKε, GAF-dependent transcription is enhanced at the expense of ISGF3-mediated transcription, rendering cells less resistant to infection. We conclude that IKKε plays a critical role in regulating the balance between the IFN-I and IFN-II signaling pathways. ChIP-seq libraries were constructed with an antibody targeting STAT1 from bone marrow macrophages treated with interferon
Project description:As the evolution of miRNA genes has been found to be one of the important factors in formation of the modern type of man, we performed a comparative analysis of the evolution of miRNA genes in two archaic hominines, Homo sapiens neanderthalensis and Homo sapiens denisova, and elucidated the expression of their target mRNAs in bain.A comparative analysis of the genomes of primates, including species in the genus Homo, identified a group of miRNA genes having fixed substitutions with important implications for the evolution of Homo sapiens neanderthalensis and Homo sapiens denisova. The mRNAs targeted by miRNAs with mutations specific for Homo sapiens denisova exhibited enhanced expression during postnatal brain development in modern humans. By contrast, the expression of mRNAs targeted by miRNAs bearing variations specific for Homo sapiens neanderthalensis was shown to be enhanced in prenatal brain development.Our results highlight the importance of changes in miRNA gene sequences in the course of Homo sapiens denisova and Homo sapiens neanderthalensis evolution. The genetic alterations of miRNAs regulating the spatiotemporal expression of multiple genes in the prenatal and postnatal brain may contribute to the progressive evolution of brain function, which is consistent with the observations of fine technical and typological properties of tools and decorative items reported from archaeological Denisovan sites. The data also suggest that differential spatial-temporal regulation of gene products promoted by the subspecies-specific mutations in the miRNA genes might have occurred in the brains of Homo sapiens denisova and Homo sapiens neanderthalensis, potentially contributing to the cultural differences between these two archaic hominines.
Project description:PurposeWe investigated the evidence of recent positive selection in the human phototransduction system at single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and gene level.MethodsSNP genotyping data from the International HapMap Project for European, Eastern Asian, and African populations was used to discover differences in haplotype length and allele frequency between these populations. Numeric selection metrics were computed for each SNP and aggregated into gene-level metrics to measure evidence of recent positive selection. The level of recent positive selection in phototransduction genes was evaluated and compared to a set of genes shown previously to be under recent selection, and a set of highly conserved genes as positive and negative controls, respectively.ResultsSix of 20 phototransduction genes evaluated had gene-level selection metrics above the 90th percentile: RGS9, GNB1, RHO, PDE6G, GNAT1, and SLC24A1. The selection signal across these genes was found to be of similar magnitude to the positive control genes and much greater than the negative control genes.ConclusionsThere is evidence for selective pressure in the genes involved in retinal phototransduction, and traces of this selective pressure can be demonstrated using SNP-level and gene-level metrics of allelic variation. We hypothesize that the selective pressure on these genes was related to their role in low light vision and retinal adaptation to ambient light changes. Uncovering the underlying genetics of evolutionary adaptations in phototransduction not only allows greater understanding of vision and visual diseases, but also the development of patient-specific diagnostic and intervention strategies.
Project description:Begitt2014 - STAT1 cooperative DNA binding - double GAS polymer model
The importance of STAT1-cooperative DNA binding in type 1 and type 2 interferon signalling has been studies using experimental and modelling approaches. The authors have developed two ODE models to describe STAT1 binding to short promoter regions of DNA, namely "single GAS polymer model" and "double GAS polymer model" considering binding to single or double GAS sites, respectively. The length of DNA in the single GAS model was three sites and four sites in double GAS model. This model correspond to the "double GAS polymer model".
This model is described in the article:
STAT1-cooperative DNA binding distinguishes type 1 from type 2 interferon signaling.
Begitt A, Droescher M, Meyer T, Schmid CD, Baker M, Antunes F, Owen MR, Naumann R, Decker T, Vinkemeier U
Nat Immunol. 2014 Feb;15(2):168-76.
Abstract:
STAT1 is an indispensable component of a heterotrimer (ISGF3) and a STAT1 homodimer (GAF) that function as transcription regulators in type 1 and type 2 interferon signaling, respectively. To investigate the importance of STAT1-cooperative DNA binding, we generated gene-targeted mice expressing cooperativity-deficient STAT1 with alanine substituted for Phe77. Neither ISGF3 nor GAF bound DNA cooperatively in the STAT1F77A mouse strain, but type 1 and type 2 interferon responses were affected differently. Type 2 interferon-mediated transcription and antibacterial immunity essentially disappeared owing to defective promoter recruitment of GAF. In contrast, STAT1 recruitment to ISGF3 binding sites and type 1 interferon-dependent responses, including antiviral protection, remained intact. We conclude that STAT1 cooperativity is essential for its biological activity and underlies the cellular responses to type 2, but not type 1 interferon.
This model is hosted on BioModels Database
and identified
by: BIOMD0000000501
.
To cite BioModels Database, please use: BioModels Database: An enhanced, curated and annotated resource
for published quantitative kinetic models
.
To the extent possible under law, all copyright and related or
neighbouring rights to this encoded model have been dedicated to the public
domain worldwide. Please refer to CC0 Public Domain
Dedication
for more information.
Project description:Begitt2014 - STAT1 cooperative DNA binding - single GAS polymer model
The importance of STAT1-cooperative DNA binding in type 1 and type 2 interferon signalling has been studies using experimental and modelling approaches. The authors have developed two ODE models to describe STAT1 binding to short promoter regions of DNA, namely "single GAS polymer model" and "double GAS polymer model" considering binding to single or double GAS sites, respectively. The length of DNA in the single GAS model was three sites and four sites in double GAS model. This model correspond to the "single GAS polymer model".
This model is described in the article:
STAT1-cooperative DNA binding distinguishes type 1 from type 2 interferon signaling.
Begitt A, Droescher M, Meyer T, Schmid CD, Baker M, Antunes F, Owen MR, Naumann R, Decker T, Vinkemeier U
Nat Immunol. 2014 Feb;15(2):168-76.
Abstract:
STAT1 is an indispensable component of a heterotrimer (ISGF3) and a STAT1 homodimer (GAF) that function as transcription regulators in type 1 and type 2 interferon signaling, respectively. To investigate the importance of STAT1-cooperative DNA binding, we generated gene-targeted mice expressing cooperativity-deficient STAT1 with alanine substituted for Phe77. Neither ISGF3 nor GAF bound DNA cooperatively in the STAT1F77A mouse strain, but type 1 and type 2 interferon responses were affected differently. Type 2 interferon-mediated transcription and antibacterial immunity essentially disappeared owing to defective promoter recruitment of GAF. In contrast, STAT1 recruitment to ISGF3 binding sites and type 1 interferon-dependent responses, including antiviral protection, remained intact. We conclude that STAT1 cooperativity is essential for its biological activity and underlies the cellular responses to type 2, but not type 1 interferon.
This model is hosted on BioModels Database
and identified
by: BIOMD0000000500
.
To cite BioModels Database, please use: BioModels Database: An enhanced, curated and annotated resource
for published quantitative kinetic models
.
To the extent possible under law, all copyright and related or
neighbouring rights to this encoded model have been dedicated to the public
domain worldwide. Please refer to CC0 Public Domain
Dedication
for more information.