Paulina Galka-Marciniak

Triplet repeats in transcripts: structural insights into RNA toxicity.

Abstract Tandem repeats of various trinucleotide motifs are frequent entities in transcripts, and RNA structures formed by these sequences depend on the motif type and number of reiterations. The functions performed by normal triplet repeats in transcripts are poorly understood, but abnormally expanded repeats of certain types trigger pathogenesis in several human genetic disorders known as the triplet repeat expansion diseases (TREDs). The diseases caused by expanded non-coding CUG and CGG repeats in transcripts include myotonic dystrophy type 1 and fragile X-associated tremor ataxia syndrome. Another group of disorders in which transcripts containing translated CAG repeats play an auxiliary role in pathogenesis include Huntington’s disease and several spinocerebellar ataxias. In this review, we gathered existing knowledge regarding the structural features of triplet repeats in transcripts and discussed this in the context of various pathogenic mechanisms assigned to toxic RNA repeats. These mechanisms include aberrant alternative splicing, the inhibition of nuclear transport and export, induction of the innate immune response, alteration of a microRNA biogenesis pathway and abnormal activation of an RNA interference pathway. We also provide ideas for future investigations to reveal further mechanisms of pathogenesis directly triggered by mutant RNA repeats in TREDs.

RNA imaging in living cells – methods and applications

Numerous types of transcripts perform multiple functions in cells, and these functions are mainly facilitated by the interactions of the RNA with various proteins and other RNAs. Insight into the dynamics of RNA biosynthesis, processing and cellular activities is highly desirable because this knowledge will deepen our understanding of cell physiology and help explain the mechanisms of RNA-mediated pathologies. In this review, we discuss the live RNA imaging systems that have been developed to date. We highlight information on the design of these systems, briefly discuss their advantages and limitations and provide examples of their numerous applications in various organisms and cell types. We present a detailed examination of one application of RNA imaging systems: this application aims to explain the role of mutant transcripts in human disease pathogenesis caused by triplet repeat expansions. Thus, this review introduces live RNA imaging systems and provides a glimpse into their various applications.

RNAimmuno: A database of the nonspecific immunological effects of RNA interference and microRNA reagents

The RNAimmuno database was created to provide easy access to information regarding the nonspecific effects generated in cells by RNA interference triggers and microRNA regulators. Various RNAi and microRNA reagents, which differ in length and structure, often cause non-sequence-specific immune responses, in addition to triggering the intended sequence-specific effects. The activation of the cellular sensors of foreign RNA or DNA may lead to the induction of type I interferon and proinflammatory cytokine release. Subsequent changes in the cellular transcriptome and proteome may result in adverse effects, including cell death during therapeutic treatments or the misinterpretation of experimental results in research applications. The manually curated RNAimmuno database gathers the majority of the published data regarding the immunological side effects that are caused in investigated cell lines, tissues, and model organisms by different reagents. The database is accessible at http://rnaimmuno.ibch.poznan.pl and may be helpful in the further application and development of RNAi- and microRNA-based technologies.

Northern blotting analysis of microRNAs, their precursors and RNA interference triggers

BackgroundNumerous microRNAs (miRNAs) have heterogeneous ends resulting from imprecise cleavages by processing nucleases and from various non-templated nucleotide additions. The scale of miRNA end-heterogeneity is best shown by deep sequencing data revealing not only the major miRNA variants but also those that occur in only minute amounts and are unlikely to be of functional importance. All RNA interference (RNAi) technology reagents that are expressed and processed in cells are also exposed to the same machinery generating end-heterogeneity of the released short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) or miRNA mimetics.ResultsIn this study we have analyzed endogenous and exogenous RNAs in the range of 20-70 nt by high-resolution northern blotting. We have validated the results obtained with northern blotting by comparing them with data derived from miRNA deep sequencing; therefore we have demonstrated the usefulness of the northern blotting technique in the investigation of miRNA biogenesis, as well as in the characterization of RNAi technology reagents.ConclusionsThe conventional northern blotting enhanced to high resolution may be a useful adjunct to other miRNA discovery, detection and characterization methods. It provides quantitative data on distribution of major length variants of abundant endogenous miRNAs, as well as on length heterogeneity of RNAi technology reagents expressed in cells.

Recent Advances in Understanding of the Immunological Off-Target Effects of siRNA

Short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) are the most commonly used RNA interference (RNAi) triggers. They hold promise as potent therapeutic tools, as demonstrated by recent successful in vivo experiments. However, in addition to triggering intended sequence-specific silencing effects, the reagents of RNAi technology can often cause side effects, including immunological off-target effects. The cellular sensors of foreign RNA, such as RIG-I or Toll-like receptors, involved in innate immune antiviral responses, are activated by RNAi reagents. Stimulation of these pathways results in changes in the cellular transcriptome and proteome that can lead to the inhibition of cell division and growth and eventually apoptosis. An additional undesired effect in the context of research applications may be the misinterpretation of experimental results. To date, a number of the specific features of siRNA structure, sequence and delivery mode that are responsible for these effects have been identified. This knowledge may be helpful in designing safer gene-silencing reagents. In this article we discuss the recent developments in the field of non-specific toxic effects caused by RNAi triggers and their delivery vehicles. These data are critically discussed and evaluated, taking advantage of relevant information compiled in the recently launched RNAimmuno database (http://rnaimmuno.ibch.poznan.pl).

RAN translation and frameshifting as translational challenges at simple repeats of human neurodegenerative disorders

Repeat-associated disorders caused by expansions of short sequences have been classified as coding and noncoding and are thought to be caused by protein gain-of-function and RNA gain-of-function mechanisms, respectively. The boundary between such classifications has recently been blurred by the discovery of repeat-associated non-AUG (RAN) translation reported in spinocerebellar ataxia type 8, myotonic dystrophy type 1, fragile X tremor/ataxia syndrome and C9ORF72 amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia. This noncanonical translation requires no AUG start codon and can initiate in multiple frames of CAG, CGG and GGGGCC repeats of the sense and antisense strands of disease-relevant transcripts. RNA structures formed by the repeats have been suggested as possible triggers; however, the precise mechanism of the translation initiation remains elusive. Templates containing expansions of microsatellites have also been shown to challenge translation elongation, as frameshifting has been recognized across CAG repeats in spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 and Huntingtons disease. Determining the critical requirements for RAN translation and frameshifting is essential to decipher the mechanisms that govern these processes. The contribution of unusual translation products to pathogenesis needs to be better understood. In this review, we present current knowledge regarding RAN translation and frameshifting and discuss the proposed mechanisms of translational challenges imposed by simple repeat expansions.

Sequence Features of Drosha and Dicer Cleavage Sites Affect the Complexity of IsomiRs

The deep-sequencing of small RNAs has revealed that different numbers and proportions of miRNA variants called isomiRs are formed from single miRNA genes and that this effect is attributable mainly to imprecise cleavage by Drosha and Dicer. Factors that influence the degree of cleavage precision of Drosha and Dicer are under investigation, and their identification may improve our understanding of the mechanisms by which cells modulate the regulatory potential of miRNAs. In this study, we focused on the sequences and structural determinants of Drosha and Dicer cleavage sites, which may explain the generation of homogeneous miRNAs (in which a single isomiR strongly predominates) as well as the generation of heterogeneous miRNAs. Using deep-sequencing data for small RNAs, we demonstrate that the generation of homogeneous miRNAs requires more sequence constraints at the cleavage sites than the formation of heterogeneous miRNAs. Additionally, our results indicate that specific Drosha cleavage sites have more sequence determinants in miRNA precursors than specific cleavage sites for Dicer and that secondary structural motifs in the miRNA precursors influence the precision of Dicer cleavage. Together, we present the sequence and structural features of Drosha and Dicer cleavage sites that influence the heterogeneity of the released miRNAs.

Nucleotide sequence of miRNA precursor contributes to cleavage site selection by Dicer.

The ribonuclease Dicer excises mature miRNAs from a diverse group of precursors (pre-miRNAs), most of which contain various secondary structure motifs in their hairpin stem. In this study, we analyzed Dicer cleavage in hairpin substrates deprived of such motifs. We searched for the factors other than the secondary structure, which may influence the length diversity and heterogeneity of miRNAs. We found that the nucleotide sequence at the Dicer cleavage site influences both of these miRNA characteristics. With regard to cleavage mechanism, we demonstrate that the Dicer RNase IIIA domain that cleaves within the 3′ arm of the pre-miRNA is more sensitive to the nucleotide sequence of its substrate than is the RNase IIIB domain. The RNase IIIA domain avoids releasing miRNAs with G nucleotide and prefers to generate miRNAs with a U nucleotide at the 5′ end. We also propose that the sequence restrictions at the Dicer cleavage site might be the factor that contributes to the generation of miRNA duplexes with 3′ overhangs of atypical lengths. This finding implies that the two RNase III domains forming the single processing center of Dicer may exhibit some degree of flexibility, which allows for the formation of these non-standard 3′ overhangs.

Self-duplexing CUG repeats selectively inhibit mutant huntingtin expression.

Huntington’s disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative genetic disorder caused by the expansion of the CAG repeat in the translated sequence of the HTT gene. This expansion generates a mutant huntingtin protein that contains an abnormally elongated polyglutamine tract, which, together with mutant transcript, causes cellular dysfunction. Currently, there is no curative treatment available to patients suffering from HD; however, the selective inhibition of the mutant allele expression is a promising therapeutic option. In this study, we developed a new class of CAG repeat-targeting silencing reagents that consist of self-duplexing CUG repeats. Self-duplex formation was induced through one or several U-base substitutions. A number of self-duplexing guide-strand-only short interfering RNAs have been tested through transfection into cells derived from HD patients, showing distinct activity profiles. The best reagents were highly discriminatory between the normal and mutant HTT alleles (allele selectivity) and the HTT transcript and other transcripts containing shorter CAG repeats (gene selectivity). We also demonstrated that the self-duplexing CUG repeat short interfering RNAs use the RNA interference pathway to elicit silencing, and repeat-targeting reagents showed similar activity and selectivity when expressed from short hairpin RNA vectors to achieve more durable silencing effects.