Jana Kralovicova

Fine-Scale Mapping at IGAD1 and Genome-Wide Genetic Linkage Analysis Implicate HLA-DQ/DR as a Major Susceptibility Locus in Selective IgA Deficiency and Common Variable Immunodeficiency

Selective IgA deficiency (IgAD) and common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) are the most common primary immunodeficiencies in humans. A high degree of familial clustering, marked differences in the population prevalence among ethnic groups, association of IgAD and CVID in families, and a predominant inheritance pattern in multiple-case pedigrees have suggested a strong, shared genetic predisposition. Previous genetic linkage, case-control, and family-based association studies mapped an IgAD/CVID susceptibility locus, designated IGAD1, to the MHC, but its precise location within the MHC has been controversial. We have analyzed a sample of 101 multiple- and 110 single-case families using 36 markers at the IGAD1 candidate region and mapped homozygous stretches across the MHC shared by affected family members. Haplotype analysis, linkage disequilibrium, and homozygosity mapping indicated that HLA-DQ/DR is the major IGAD1 locus, strongly suggesting the autoimmune pathogenesis of IgAD/CVID. This is supported by the highest excess of allelic sharing at 6p in the genome-wide linkage analysis of 101 IgAD/CVID families using 383 marker loci, by previously reported restrictions of the T cell repertoires in CVID, the presence of autoantibodies, impaired T cell activation, and a dysregulation of a number of genes in the targeted immune system. IgAD/CVID may thus provide a useful model for the study of pathogenesis and novel therapeutic strategies in autoimmune diseases.

Does 77C-->G in PTPRC modify autoimmune disorders linked to the major histocompatibility locus?

A 77G allele of the gene encoding CD45, also known as the protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor-type C gene (PTPRC), has been associated with multiple sclerosis (MS). Here we determine allele frequencies in large numbers of MS patients, primary immunodeficiencies linked to the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) locus and over 1,000 controls to assess whether aberrant splicing of PTPRC caused by the 77C→G polymorphism results in increased susceptibility to these diseases. Our results show no difference in the frequency of the 77G allele in patients and controls and thus do not support a causative role for the polymorphism in the development of disorders with a strong autoimmune component in etiology.

Global control of aberrant splice-site activation by auxiliary splicing sequences: evidence for a gradient in exon and intron definition

Auxiliary splicing signals play a major role in the regulation of constitutive and alternative pre-mRNA splicing, but their relative importance in selection of mutation-induced cryptic or de novo splice sites is poorly understood. Here, we show that exonic sequences between authentic and aberrant splice sites that were activated by splice-site mutations in human disease genes have lower frequencies of splicing enhancers and higher frequencies of splicing silencers than average exons. Conversely, sequences between authentic and intronic aberrant splice sites have more enhancers and less silencers than average introns. Exons that were skipped as a result of splice-site mutations were smaller, had lower SF2/ASF motif scores, a decreased availability of decoy splice sites and a higher density of silencers than exons in which splice-site mutation activated cryptic splice sites. These four variables were the strongest predictors of the two aberrant splicing events in a logistic regression model. Elimination or weakening of predicted silencers in two reporters consistently promoted use of intron-proximal splice sites if these elements were maintained at their original positions, with their modular combinations producing expected modification of splicing. Together, these results show the existence of a gradient in exon and intron definition at the level of pre-mRNA splicing and provide a basis for the development of computational tools that predict aberrant splicing outcomes.

Biased exon/intron distribution of cryptic and de novo 3′ splice sites

We compiled sequences of previously published aberrant 3′ splice sites (3′ss) that were generated by mutations in human disease genes. Cryptic 3′ss, defined here as those resulting from a mutation of the 3′YAG consensus, were more frequent in exons than in introns. They clustered in ∼20 nt region adjacent to authentic 3′ss, suggesting that their under-representation in introns is due to a depletion of AG dinucleotides in the polypyrimidine tract (PPT). In contrast, most aberrant 3′ss that were induced by mutations outside the 3′YAG consensus (designated ‘de novo’) were in introns. The activation of intronic de novo 3′ss was largely due to AG-creating mutations in the PPT. In contrast, exonic de novo 3′ss were more often induced by mutations improving the PPT, branchpoint sequence (BPS) or distant auxiliary signals, rather than by direct AG creation. The Shapiro–Senapathy matrix scores had a good prognostic value for cryptic, but not de novo 3′ss. Finally, AG-creating mutations in the PPT that produced aberrant 3′ss upstream of the predicted BPS in vivo shared a similar ‘BPS-new AG’ distance. Reduction of this distance and/or the strength of the new AG PPT in splicing reporter pre-mRNAs improved utilization of authentic 3′ss, suggesting that AG-creating mutations that are located closer to the BPS and are preceded by weaker PPT may result in less severe splicing defects.

Prediction of single-nucleotide substitutions that result in exon skipping: identification of a splicing silencer in BRCA1 exon 6

Missense, nonsense, and translationally silent mutations can inactivate genes by altering the inclusion of mutant exons in mRNA, but their overall frequency among disease‐causing exonic substitutions is unknown. Here, we have tested missense and silent mutations deposited in the BRCA1 mutation databases of unclassified variants for their effects on exon inclusion. Analysis of 21 BRCA1 variants using minigene assays revealed a single exon‐skipping mutation c.231G>T. Comprehensive mutagenesis of an adjacent 12‐nt segment showed that this silent mutation resulted in a higher level of exon skipping than the 35 other single‐nucleotide substitutions. Exon inclusion levels of mutant constructs correlated significantly with predicted splicing enhancers/silencers, prompting the development of two online utilities freely available at http://www.dbass.org.uk. EX‐SKIP quickly estimates which allele is more susceptible to exon skipping, whereas HOT‐SKIP examines all possible mutations at each exon position and identifies candidate exon‐skipping positions/substitutions. We demonstrate that the distribution of exon‐skipping and disease‐associated substitutions previously identified in coding regions was biased toward top‐ranking HOT‐SKIP mutations. Finally, we show that proteins 9G8, SC35, SF2/ASF, Tra2, and hnRNP A1 were associated with significant alterations of BRCA1 exon 6 inclusion in the mRNA. Together, these results facilitate prediction of exonic substitutions that reduce exon inclusion in mature transcripts. Hum Mutat 32:1–9, 2011.

Position-Dependent Repression and Promotion of DQB1 Intron 3 Splicing by GGGG Motifs

Alternative splicing of HLA-DQB1 exon 4 is allele-dependent and results in variable expression of soluble DQβ. We have recently shown that differential inclusion of this exon in mature transcripts is largely due to intron 3 variants in the branch point sequence (BPS) and polypyrimidine tract. To identify additional regulatory cis-elements that contribute to haplotype-specific splicing of DQB1, we systematically examined the effect of guanosine (G) repeats on intron 3 removal. We found that the GGG or GGGG repeats generally improved splicing of DQB1 intron 3, except for those that were adjacent to the 5′ splice site where they had the opposite effect. The most prominent splicing enhancement was conferred by GGGG motifs arranged in tandem upstream of the BPS. Replacement of a G-rich segment just 5′ of the BPS with a series of random sequences markedly repressed splicing, whereas substitutions of a segment further upstream that lacked the G-rich elements and had the same size did not result in comparable splicing inhibition. Systematic mutagenesis of both suprabranch guanosine quadruplets (G4) revealed a key role of central G residues in splicing enhancement, whereas cytosines in these positions had the most prominent repressive effects. Together, these results show a significant role of tandem G4NG4 structures in splicing of both complete and truncated DQB1 intron 3, support position dependency of G repeats in splicing promotion and inhibition, and identify positively and negatively acting sequences that contribute to the haplotype-specific DQB1 expression.

Short tandem repeat (STR) haplotypes in HLA: an integrated 50-kb STR/linkage disequilibrium/gene map between the RING3 and HLA-B genes and identification of STR haplotype diversification in the class III region.

We present a dense STR/linkage disequilibrium(LD)/gene map between the RING3 and HLA-B loci, reference allelic sizes on the most prevalent HLA haplotypes and their allelic frequencies in pedigree founders. This resource will facilitate LD, evolution and gene mapping studies, including comparisons of HLA and STR haplotypes and identification of HLA recombinants. The map was constructed by testing novel and previously reported STRs using a panel of 885 individuals in 211 families and 60 DNA samples from cell lines and bone marrow donors homozygous in the HLA-A, -B and -DR loci selected from over 15 000 entries into the registry of Swedish bone marrow donors. We have also analysed the variability of STR alleles/haplotypes on the most prevalent HLA haplotypes to identify STRs useful for fine mapping of disease genes in the region previously implicated in susceptibility to many disorders. The analysis of 40 HLA-A*01, B*0801, DRB1*03011, DQB1*0201 haplotypes in homozygous donors showed a surprising stability in 23 STRs between the class II recombination hot spot and HLA-B, with the average of 1.9% (16/838) variant alleles. However, 40% variant alleles were found at the D6S2670 locus in intron 19 of the tenascin-X gene both in the families and homozygous donors. The nucleotide sequence analysis of this STR showed a complex polymorphism consisting of tetra- (CTTT)8–18 and penta-nucleotide (CTTTT)1–2 repeats, separated by an intervening non-polymorphic sequence of 42 bp. The HLA-A1, B*0801, DRB1*03011, DQB1*0201 haplotypes had five (CTTT)14–18/(CTTTT)2 variants with a predominant (CTTT)16 allele, implicating the tetranucleotide component as the source of this ancestral haplotype diversification, which may be due to the location of D6S2670 in the region of the highest GC content in the human MHC.

Disease-causing mutations improving the branch site and polypyrimidine tract: pseudoexon activation of LINE-2 and antisense Alu lacking the poly(T)-tail

Cryptic exons or pseudoexons are typically activated by point mutations that create GT or AG dinucleotides of new 5′ or 3′ splice sites in introns, often in repetitive elements. Here we describe two cases of tetrahydrobiopterin deficiency caused by mutations improving the branch point sequence and polypyrimidine tracts of repeat‐containing pseudoexons in the PTS gene. In the first case, we demonstrate a novel pathway of antisense Alu exonization, resulting from an intronic deletion that removed the poly(T)‐tail of antisense AluSq. The deletion brought a favorable branch point sequence within proximity of the pseudoexon 3′ splice site and removed an upstream AG dinucleotide required for the 3′ splice site repression on normal alleles. New Alu exons can thus arise in the absence of poly(T)‐tails that facilitated inclusion of most transposed elements in mRNAs by serving as polypyrimidine tracts, highlighting extraordinary flexibility of Alu repeats in shaping intron–exon structure. In the other case, a PTS pseudoexon was activated by an A>T substitution 9 nt upstream of its 3′ splice site in a LINE‐2 sequence, providing the first example of a disease‐causing exonization of the most ancient interspersed repeat. These observations expand the spectrum of mutational mechanisms that introduce repetitive sequences in mature transcripts and illustrate the importance of intronic mutations in alternative splicing and phenotypic variability of hereditary disorders. Hum Mutat 30, 1–9, 2009.

Compensatory signals associated with the activation of human GC 5′ splice sites

GC 5′ splice sites (5′ss) are present in ∼1% of human introns, but factors promoting their efficient selection are poorly understood. Here, we describe a case of X-linked agammaglobulinemia resulting from a GC 5′ss activated by a mutation in BTK intron 3. This GC 5′ss was intrinsically weak, yet it was selected in >90% primary transcripts in the presence of a strong and intact natural GT counterpart. We show that efficient selection of this GC 5′ss required a high density of GAA/CAA-containing splicing enhancers in the exonized segment and was promoted by SR proteins 9G8, Tra2β and SC35. The GC 5′ss was efficiently inhibited by splice-switching oligonucleotides targeting either the GC 5′ss itself or the enhancer. Comprehensive analysis of natural GC-AG introns and previously reported pathogenic GC 5′ss showed that their efficient activation was facilitated by higher densities of splicing enhancers and lower densities of silencers than their GT 5′ss equivalents. Removal of the GC-AG introns was promoted to a minor extent by the splice-site strength of adjacent exons and inhibited by flanking Alu repeats, with the first downstream Alus located on average at a longer distance from the GC 5′ss than other transposable elements. These results provide new insights into the splicing code that governs selection of noncanonical splice sites.

Identification of U2AF(35)-dependent exons by RNA-Seq reveals a link between 3′ splice-site organization and activity of U2AF-related proteins

The auxiliary factor of U2 small nuclear RNA (U2AF) is a heterodimer consisting of 65- and 35-kD proteins that bind the polypyrimidine tract (PPT) and AG dinucleotides at the 3′ splice site (3′ss). The gene encoding U2AF35 (U2AF1) is alternatively spliced, giving rise to two isoforms U2AF35a and U2AF35b. Here, we knocked down U2AF35 and each isoform and characterized transcriptomes of HEK293 cells with varying U2AF35/U2AF65 and U2AF35a/b ratios. Depletion of both isoforms preferentially modified alternative RNA processing events without widespread failure to recognize 3′ss or constitutive exons. Over a third of differentially used exons were terminal, resulting largely from the use of known alternative polyadenylation (APA) sites. Intronic APA sites activated in depleted cultures were mostly proximal whereas tandem 3′UTR APA was biased toward distal sites. Exons upregulated in depleted cells were preceded by longer AG exclusion zones and PPTs than downregulated or control exons and were largely activated by PUF60 and repressed by CAPERα. The U2AF(35) repression and activation was associated with a significant interchange in the average probabilities to form single-stranded RNA in the optimal PPT and branch site locations and sequences further upstream. Although most differentially used exons were responsive to both U2AF subunits and their inclusion correlated with U2AF levels, a small number of transcripts exhibited distinct responses to U2AF35a and U2AF35b, supporting the existence of isoform-specific interactions. These results provide new insights into function of U2AF and U2AF35 in alternative RNA processing.