scholarly journals RNA G-quadruplexes mark repressive upstream open reading frames in human mRNAs

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pierre Murat ◽  
Giovanni Marsico ◽  
Barbara Herdy ◽  
Avazeh Ghanbarian ◽  
Guillem Portella ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Structures ◽  
Ribosome Profiling ◽  
Open Reading Frames ◽  
Untranslated Regions ◽  
Translation Regulation ◽  
Physical Interaction ◽  
Protein Coding ◽  
Upstream Open Reading Frames ◽  
Nucleotide Resolution ◽  
Reading Frames

ABSTRACTRNA secondary structures in the 5’ untranslated regions (UTRs) of mRNAs have been characterised as key determinants of translation initiation. However the role of non-canonical secondary structures, such as RNA G-quadruplexes (rG4s), in modulating translation of human mRNAs and the associated mechanisms remain largely unappreciated. Here we use a ribosome profiling strategy to investigate the translational landscape of human mRNAs with structured 5’ untranslated regions (5’-UTR). We found that inefficiently translated mRNAs, containing rG4-forming sequences in their 5’-UTRs, have an accumulation of ribosome footprints in their 5’-UTRs. We show that rG4-forming sequences are determinants of 5’-UTR translation, suggesting that the folding of rG4 structures thwarts the translation of protein coding sequences (CDS) by stimulating the translation of repressive upstream open reading frames (uORFs). To support our model, we demonstrate that depletion of two rG4s-specialised DEAH-box helicases, DHX36 and DHX9, shifts translation towards rG4-containing uORFs reducing the translation of selected transcripts comprising proto-oncogenes, transcription factors and epigenetic regulators. Transcriptome-wide identification of DHX9 binding sites using individual-nucleotide resolution UV crosslinking and immunoprecipitation (iCLIP) demonstrate that translation regulation is mediated through direct physical interaction between the helicase and its rG4 substrate. Our findings unveil a previously unknown role for non-canonical structures in governing 5’-UTR translation and suggest that the interaction of helicases with rG4s could be considered as a target for future therapeutic intervention.

scholarly journals Improved ribosome-footprint and mRNA measurements provide insights into dynamics and regulation of yeast translation

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
David E Weinberg ◽  
Premal Shah ◽  
Stephen W Eichhorn ◽  
Jeffrey A Hussmann ◽  
Joshua B Plotkin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Translational Control ◽  
Nucleotide Composition ◽  
Ribosome Profiling ◽  
Open Reading Frames ◽  
Untranslated Regions ◽  
Coding Regions ◽  
Genome Wide ◽  
Upstream Open Reading Frames ◽  
Improved Methods ◽  
Reading Frames

Ribosome-footprint profiling provides genome-wide snapshots of translation, but technical challenges can confound its analysis. Here, we use improved methods to obtain ribosome-footprint profiles and mRNA abundances that more faithfully reflect gene expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Our results support proposals that both the beginning of coding regions and codons matching rare tRNAs are more slowly translated. They also indicate that emergent polypeptides with as few as three basic residues within a 10-residue window tend to slow translation. With the improved mRNA measurements, the variation attributable to translational control in exponentially growing yeast was less than previously reported, and most of this variation could be predicted with a simple model that considered mRNA abundance, upstream open reading frames, cap-proximal structure and nucleotide composition, and lengths of the coding and 5′- untranslated regions. Collectively, our results reveal key features of translational control in yeast and provide a framework for executing and interpreting ribosome- profiling studies.

scholarly journals uORF-Tools – Workflow for the determination of translation-regulatory upstream open reading frames

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anica Scholz ◽  
Florian Eggenhofer ◽  
Rick Gelhausen ◽  
Björn Grüning ◽  
Kathi Zarnack ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ribosome Profiling ◽  
Open Reading Frames ◽  
Annotation File ◽  
Inhibitory Effects ◽  
Protein Coding ◽  
Reading Frame ◽  
Upstream Open Reading Frames ◽  
Induced Changes ◽  
Reading Frames

AbstractRibosome profiling (ribo-seq) provides a means to analyze active translation by determining ribosome occupancy in a transcriptome-wide manner. The vast majority of ribosome protected fragments (RPFs) resides within the protein-coding sequence of mRNAs. However, commonly reads are also found within the transcript leader sequence (TLS) (aka 5’ untranslated region) preceding the main open reading frame (ORF), indicating the translation of regulatory upstream ORFs (uORFs). Here, we present a workflow for the identification of translation-regulatory uORFs. Specifically, uORF-Tools identifies uORFs within a given dataset and generates a uORF annotation file. In addition, a comprehensive human uORF annotation file, based on 35 ribo-seq files, is provided, which can serve as an alternative input file for the workflow. To assess the translation-regulatory activity of the uORFs, stimulus-induced changes in the ratio of the RPFs residing in the main ORFs relative to those found in the associated uORFs are determined. The resulting output file allows for the easy identification of candidate uORFs, which have translation-inhibitory effects on their associated main ORFs. uORF-Tools is available as a free and open Snakemake workflow at https://github.com/Biochemistry1-FFM/uORF-Tools. It is easily installed and all necessary tools are provided in a version-controlled manner, which also ensures lasting usability. uORF-Tools is designed for intuitive use and requires only limited computing times and resources.

scholarly journals Autonomous functionality of an upstream open reading frame in polycistronic mammalian mRNAs

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shohei Kitano ◽  
Gabriel Pratt ◽  
Keizo Takao ◽  
Yasunori Aizawa
Keyword(s):  
Brain Regions ◽  
Ribosome Profiling ◽  
Open Reading Frames ◽  
Upstream Open Reading Frame ◽  
Translation Regulation ◽  
Reading Frame ◽  
Eukaryotic Translation ◽  
Upstream Open Reading Frames ◽  
Human And Mouse ◽  
Reading Frames

SUMMARYUpstream open reading frames (uORFs) are established as cis-acting elements for eukaryotic translation of annotated ORFs (anORFs) located on the same mRNAs. Here, we identified a mammalian uORF with functions that are independent from anORF translation regulation. Bioinformatics screening using ribosome profiling data of human and mouse brains yielded 308 neurologically vital genes from which anORF and uORFs are polycistronically translated in both species. Among them, Arhgef9 contains a uORF named SPICA, which is highly conserved among vertebrates and stably translated only in specific brain regions of mice. Disruption of SPICA translation by ATG-to-TAG substitutions did not perturb translation or function of its anORF product, collybistin. SPICA-null mice displayed abnormal maternal reproductive performance and enhanced anxiety-like behavior, characteristic of ARHGEF9-associated neurological disorders. This study demonstrates that mammalian uORFs can be independent genetic units, revising the prevailing dogma of the monocistronic gene in mammals, and even eukaryotes.

scholarly journals Annotating high-impact 5’untranslated region variants with the UTRannotator

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaolei Zhang ◽  
Matthew Wakeling ◽  
James Ware ◽  
Nicola Whiffin
Keyword(s):  
Open Reading Frames ◽  
Supplementary Information ◽  
Untranslated Regions ◽  
Protein Coding ◽  
Pathogenic Variants ◽  
Uncertain Significance ◽  
Upstream Open Reading Frames ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Reading Frames

AbstractSummaryCurrent tools to annotate the predicted effect of genetic variants are heavily biased towards protein-coding sequence. Variants outside of these regions may have a large impact on protein expression and/or structure and can lead to disease, but this effect can be challenging to predict. Consequently, these variants are poorly annotated using standard tools. We have developed a plugin to the Ensembl Variant Effect Predictor, the UTRannotator, that annotates variants in 5’untranslated regions (5’UTR) that create or disrupt upstream open reading frames (uORFs). We investigate the utility of this tool using the ClinVar database, providing an annotation for 30.8% of all 5’UTR (likely) pathogenic variants, and highlighting 31 variants of uncertain significance as candidates for further follow-up. We will continue to update the UTR annotator as we gain new knowledge on the impact of variants in UTRs.Availability and implementationUTRannotator is freely available on Github: https://github.com/ImperialCardioGenetics/UTRannotatorSupplementary informationSupplementary data are available at bioRxiv.

scholarly journals A community-driven roadmap to advance research on translated open reading frames detected by Ribo-seq

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan M Mudge ◽  
Jorge Ruiz-Orera ◽  
John R Prensner ◽  
Marie A Brunet ◽  
Jose Manuel Gonzalez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Annotation ◽  
Ribosome Profiling ◽  
Open Reading Frames ◽  
Untranslated Regions ◽  
Biological Databases ◽  
Protein Coding ◽  
Circular Problem ◽  
Advance Research ◽  
Non Coding Rnas ◽  
Reading Frames

Ribosome profiling (Ribo-seq) has catalyzed a paradigm shift in our understanding of the translational vocabulary of the human genome, discovering thousands of translated open reading frames (ORFs) within long non-coding RNAs and presumed untranslated regions of protein-coding genes. However, reference gene annotation projects have been circumspect in their incorporation of these ORFs due to uncertainties about their experimental reproducibility and physiological roles. Yet, it is indisputable that certain Ribo-seq ORFs make stable proteins, others mediate gene regulation, and many have medical implications. Ultimately, the absence of standardized ORF annotation has created a circular problem: while Ribo-seq ORFs remain unannotated by reference biological databases, this lack of characterisation will thwart research efforts examining their roles. Here, we outline the initial stages of a community-led effort supported by GENCODE / Ensembl, HGNC and UniProt to produce a consolidated catalog of human Ribo-seq ORFs.

scholarly journals Annotating high-impact 5′untranslated region variants with the UTRannotator

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaolei Zhang ◽  
Matthew Wakeling ◽  
James Ware ◽  
Nicola Whiffin
Keyword(s):  
Open Reading Frames ◽  
Supplementary Information ◽  
Untranslated Regions ◽  
Protein Coding ◽  
Pathogenic Variants ◽  
Uncertain Significance ◽  
Upstream Open Reading Frames ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Reading Frames

Abstract Summary Current tools to annotate the predicted effect of genetic variants are heavily biased towards protein-coding sequence. Variants outside of these regions may have a large impact on protein expression and/or structure and can lead to disease, but this effect can be challenging to predict. Consequently, these variants are poorly annotated using standard tools. We have developed a plugin to the Ensembl Variant Effect Predictor, the UTRannotator, that annotates variants in 5′untranslated regions (5′UTR) that create or disrupt upstream open reading frames. We investigate the utility of this tool using the ClinVar database, providing an annotation for 31.9% of all 5′UTR (likely) pathogenic variants, and highlighting 31 variants of uncertain significance as candidates for further follow-up. We will continue to update the UTRannotator as we gain new knowledge on the impact of variants in UTRs. Availability and implementation UTRannotator is freely available on Github: https://github.com/ImperialCardioGenetics/UTRannotator. Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

scholarly journals uORF Shuffling Fine-Tunes Gene Expression at a Deep Level of the Process

Plants ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 608
Author(s):  
Yukio Kurihara
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Deep Level ◽  
Ribosome Profiling ◽  
Open Reading Frames ◽  
Protein Coding ◽  
Polycistronic Mrna ◽  
Upstream Open Reading Frames ◽  
Fine Tune ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Reading Frames

Upstream open reading frames (uORFs) are present in the 5’ leader sequences (or 5’ untranslated regions) upstream of the protein-coding main ORFs (mORFs) in eukaryotic polycistronic mRNA. It is well known that a uORF negatively affects translation of the mORF. Emerging ribosome profiling approaches have revealed that uORFs themselves, as well as downstream mORFs, can be translated. However, it has also been revealed that plants can fine-tune gene expression by modulating uORF-mediated regulation in some situations. This article reviews several proposed mechanisms that enable genes to escape from uORF-mediated negative regulation and gives insight into the application of uORF-mediated regulation for precisely controlling gene expression.

scholarly journals Translation of ABCE1 Is Tightly Regulated by Upstream Open Reading Frames in Human Colorectal Cells

Biomedicines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 911
Author(s):  
Joana Silva ◽  
Pedro Nina ◽  
Luísa Romão
Keyword(s):  
Translational Regulation ◽  
Regulatory Elements ◽  
Ribosome Profiling ◽  
Leader Sequence ◽  
Open Reading Frames ◽  
Regulatory Function ◽  
Coding Sequence ◽  
Abc Protein ◽  
Upstream Open Reading Frames ◽  
Reading Frames

ATP-binding cassette subfamily E member 1 (ABCE1) belongs to the ABC protein family of transporters; however, it does not behave as a drug transporter. Instead, ABCE1 actively participates in different stages of translation and is also associated with oncogenic functions. Ribosome profiling analysis in colorectal cancer cells has revealed a high ribosome occupancy in the human ABCE1 mRNA 5′-leader sequence, indicating the presence of translatable upstream open reading frames (uORFs). These cis-acting translational regulatory elements usually act as repressors of translation of the main coding sequence. In the present study, we dissect the regulatory function of the five AUG and five non-AUG uORFs identified in the human ABCE1 mRNA 5′-leader sequence. We show that the expression of the main coding sequence is tightly regulated by the ABCE1 AUG uORFs in colorectal cells. Our results are consistent with a model wherein uORF1 is efficiently translated, behaving as a barrier to downstream uORF translation. The few ribosomes that can bypass uORF1 (and/or uORF2) must probably initiate at the inhibitory uORF3 or uORF5 that efficiently repress translation of the main ORF. This inhibitory property is slightly overcome in conditions of endoplasmic reticulum stress. In addition, we observed that these potent translation-inhibitory AUG uORFs function equally in cancer and in non-tumorigenic colorectal cells, which is consistent with a lack of oncogenic function. In conclusion, we establish human ABCE1 as an additional example of uORF-mediated translational regulation and that this tight regulation contributes to control ABCE1 protein levels in different cell environments.

scholarly journals Disrupting upstream translation in mRNAs is associated with human disease

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
David S. M. Lee ◽  
Joseph Park ◽  
Andrew Kromer ◽  
Aris Baras ◽  
Daniel J. Rader ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Protein Expression ◽  
Biological Significance ◽  
Ribosome Profiling ◽  
Open Reading Frames ◽  
Protein Coding ◽  
Stop Codons ◽  
Human Genes ◽  
Strong Negative Selection ◽  
Disease Associations ◽  
Reading Frames

AbstractRibosome-profiling has uncovered pervasive translation in non-canonical open reading frames, however the biological significance of this phenomenon remains unclear. Using genetic variation from 71,702 human genomes, we assess patterns of selection in translated upstream open reading frames (uORFs) in 5’UTRs. We show that uORF variants introducing new stop codons, or strengthening existing stop codons, are under strong negative selection comparable to protein-coding missense variants. Using these variants, we map and validate gene-disease associations in two independent biobanks containing exome sequencing from 10,900 and 32,268 individuals, respectively, and elucidate their impact on protein expression in human cells. Our results suggest translation disrupting mechanisms relating uORF variation to reduced protein expression, and demonstrate that translation at uORFs is genetically constrained in 50% of human genes.

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