Project description:In this study, we employed an in vivo CRISPR screening and a TNBC progression model to identify potentially oncogenic RBPs. We identified the small nuclear ribonucleoprotein polypeptide C (SNRPC), a subunit of the U1 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particle (U1 snRNP), as a key modulator involved in TNBC progression. SNRPC was frequently upregulated and relevant to poor prognosis in TNBC patients. SNRPC ablation significantly impaired the proliferation, migration and invasion of TNBC cells in vitro and in vivo. In addition, SNRPC was essential for the stability of U1 snRNP and contributed to the RNA Pol II-controlled transcription program. Knockdown of SNRPC decreased RNA Pol II enrichment on some oncogenes (TNFAIP2, E2F2 and CDK4) and reduced their expression levels. We further confirmed that SNRPC deletion would inhibit TNBC progression partially through the TNFAIP2-Rac1-β-catenin signal.
Project description:The goal of the microarray experiment was to do a head-to-head comparison of the U1 Adaptor technology with siRNA in terms of specificity at the genome-wide level. U1 Adaptors represent a novel gene silencing method that employs a mechanism of action distinct from antisense and RNA interference (RNAi). The U1 Adaptor is a bifunctional oligonucleotide having a âTarget Domainâ that is complementary to a site in the target gene's terminal exon and a âU1 Domainâ that binds to the U1 small nuclear RNA (snRNA) component of the U1 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (U1 snRNP) splicing factor. Tethering of U1 snRNP to the target pre-mRNA inhibits 3' end processing (i.e., polyA tail addition) leading to degradation of that RNA species within the nucleus thereby reducing mRNA levels. We demonstrate that U1 Adaptors can specifically inhibit both reporter and endogenous genes. Further, targeting the same gene either with multiple U1 Adaptors or with U1 Adaptors and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), strongly enhances gene silencing, the latter as predicted from their distinct mechanisms of action. Such combinatorial targeting requires lower amounts of oligonucleotides to achieve potent silencing. Experiment Overall Design: For each sample total RNA was prepared from 3 independent transfections and then were pooled and analyzed by QPCR and also by microarray.