Short Motifs Research Articles

Using Next Generation RAD Sequencing to Isolate Multispecies Microsatellites for Pilosocereus (Cactaceae).

Microsatellite markers (also known as SSRs, Simple Sequence Repeats) are widely used in plant science and are among the most informative molecular markers for population genetic investigations, but the development of such markers presents substantial challenges. In this report, we discuss how next generation sequencing can replace the cloning, Sanger sequencing, identification of polymorphic loci, and testing cross-amplification that were previously required to develop microsatellites. We report the development of a large set of microsatellite markers for five species of the Neotropical cactus genus Pilosocereus using a restriction-site-associated DNA sequencing (RAD-seq) on a Roche 454 platform. We identified an average of 165 microsatellites per individual, with the absolute numbers across individuals proportional to the sequence reads obtained per individual. Frequency distribution of the repeat units was similar in the five species, with shorter motifs such as di- and trinucleotide being the most abundant repeats. In addition, we provide 72 microsatellites that could be potentially amplified in the sampled species and 22 polymorphic microsatellites validated in two populations of the species Pilosocereus machrisii. Although low coverage sequencing among individuals was observed for most of the loci, which we suggest to be more related to the nature of the microsatellite markers and the possible bias inserted by the restriction enzymes than to the genome size, our work demonstrates that an NGS approach is an efficient method to isolate multispecies microsatellites even in non-model organisms.

DNA-dependent formation of transcription factor pairs alters their binding specificity.

Gene expression is regulated by transcription factors (TFs), proteins that recognize short DNA sequence motifs. Such sequences are very common in the human genome, and an important determinant of the specificity of gene expression is the cooperative binding of multiple TFs to closely located motifs. However, interactions between DNA-bound TFs have not been systematically characterized. To identify TF pairs that bind cooperatively to DNA, and to characterize their spacing and orientation preferences, we have performed consecutive affinity-purification systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (CAP-SELEX) analysis of 9,400 TF-TF-DNA interactions. This analysis revealed 315 TF-TF interactions recognizing 618 heterodimeric motifs, most of which have not been previously described. The observed cooperativity occurred promiscuously between TFs from diverse structural families. Structural analysis of the TF pairs, including a novel crystal structure of MEIS1 and DLX3 bound to their identified recognition site, revealed that the interactions between the TFs were predominantly mediated by DNA. Most TF pair sites identified involved a large overlap between individual TF recognition motifs, and resulted in recognition of composite sites that were markedly different from the individual TF's motifs. Together, our results indicate that the DNA molecule commonly plays an active role in cooperative interactions that define the gene regulatory lexicon.

Functionally conserved enhancers with divergent sequences in distant vertebrates.

BackgroundTo examine the contributions of sequence and function conservation in the evolution of enhancers, we systematically identified enhancers whose sequences are not conserved among distant groups of vertebrate species, but have homologous function and are likely to be derived from a common ancestral sequence. Our approach combined comparative genomics and epigenomics to identify potential enhancer sequences in the genomes of three groups of distantly related vertebrate species.ResultsWe searched for sequences that were conserved within groups of closely related species but not between groups of more distant species, and were associated with an epigenetic mark of enhancer activity. To facilitate inferring orthology between non-conserved sequences, we limited our search to introns whose orthology could be unambiguously established by mapping the bracketing exons. We show that a subset of these non-conserved but syntenic sequences from the mouse and zebrafish genomes have homologous functions in a zebrafish transgenic enhancer assay. The conserved expression patterns driven by these enhancers are probably associated with short transcription factor-binding motifs present in the divergent sequences.ConclusionsWe have identified numerous potential enhancers with divergent sequences but a conserved function. These results indicate that selection on function, rather than sequence, may be a common mode of enhancer evolution; evidence for selection at the sequence level is not a necessary criterion to define a gene regulatory element.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-015-2070-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Insights into the molecular mechanism of allostery in Hsp70s.

Hsp70s chaperone an amazing number and variety of cellular protein folding processes. Key to their versatility is the recognition of a short degenerate sequence motif, present in practically all polypeptides, and a bidirectional allosteric intramolecular regulation mechanism linking their N-terminal nucleotide binding domain (NBD) and their C-terminal polypeptide substrate binding domain (SBD). Through this interdomain communication ATP binding to the NBD and ATP hydrolysis control the affinity of the SBD for polypeptide substrates and substrate binding to the SBD triggers ATP hydrolysis. Genetic screens for defective variants of Hsp70s and systematic analysis of available structures of the isolated domains revealed some residues involved in allosteric control. Recent elucidation of the crystal structure of the Hsp70 homolog DnaK in the ATP bound open conformation as well as numerous NMR and mutagenesis studies bring us closer to an understanding of the communication between NBD and SBD. In this review we will discuss our current view of the allosteric control mechanism of Hsp70 chaperones.

Site-Specific Covalent Labeling of RNA by Enzymatic Transglycosylation.

We demonstrate the site-specific incorporation of nucleobase derivatives bearing fluorophores or affinity labels into a short RNA stem loop recognition motif by exchange of a guanine residue. The RNA-TAG (transglycosylation at guanosine) is carried out by a bacterial (E. coli) tRNA guanine transglycosylase (TGT), whose natural substrate is the nitrogenous base PreQ1. Remarkably, we have successfully incorporated large functional groups including biotin, BODIPY, thiazole orange, and Cy7 through a polyethylene glycol linker attached to the exocyclic amine of PreQ1. Larger RNAs, such as mRNA transcripts, can be site-specifically labeled if they possess the 17-nucleotide hairpin recognition motif. The RNA-TAG methodology could facilitate the detection and manipulation of RNA molecules by enabling the direct incorporation of functional artificial nucleobases using a simple hairpin recognition element.

Two Hydrophobic Residues Can Determine the Specificity of Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase Docking Interactions

MAPKs bind to many of their upstream regulators and downstream substrates via a short docking motif (the D-site) on their binding partner. MAPKs that are in different families (e.g. ERK, JNK, and p38) can bind selectively to D-sites in their authentic substrates and regulators while discriminating against D-sites in other pathways. Here we demonstrate that the short hydrophobic region at the distal end of the D-site plays a critical role in determining the high selectivity of JNK MAPKs for docking sites in their cognate MAPK kinases. Changing just 1 or 2 key hydrophobic residues in this submotif is sufficient to turn a weak JNK-binding D-site into a strong one, or vice versa. These specificity-determining differences are also found in the D-sites of the ETS family transcription factors Elk-1 and Net. Moreover, swapping two hydrophobic residues between these D-sites switches the relative efficiency of Elk-1 and Net as substrates for ERK versus JNK, as predicted. These results provide new insights into docking specificity and suggest that this specificity can evolve rapidly by changes to just 1 or 2 amino acids.

Identification of Sequence-Selective Tyrosine Kinase Deoxyribozymes.

Deoxyribozymes (DNA enzymes) have been developed for a growing variety of chemical reactions, including with peptide substrates. We recently described the first tyrosine kinase deoxyribozymes, which lacked the ability to discriminate among peptide substrates on the basis of the amino acids surrounding the tyrosine residue. Those deoxyribozymes were identified by in vitro selection using a DNA-anchored peptide substrate in which the residues neighboring tyrosine were all alanine. Here, we performed in vitro selection for tyrosine kinase activity using three peptide substrates in which the neighboring residues included a variety of side chains. For one of these three peptides, we found numerous deoxyribozymes that discriminate strongly in favor of phosphorylating tyrosine when the surrounding residues are specifically those used in the selection process. Three different short peptide sequence motifs of 2-4 amino acids were required for catalysis by three unique deoxyribozymes. For a second peptide substrate, the selection process led to one deoxyribozyme which exhibits partial discrimination among peptide sequences. These findings establish the feasibility of identifying DNA enzymes that catalyze sequence-selective tyrosine phosphorylation, which suggests the downstream practical utility of such deoxyribozymes. More broadly, this outcome reinforces the conclusion that nucleic acid catalysts can discriminate among peptide substrates in the context of biochemically relevant reactions.

Cohesin recruits the Esco1 acetyltransferase genome wide to repress transcription and promote cohesion in somatic cells

The cohesin complex links DNA molecules and plays key roles in the organization, expression, repair, and segregation of eukaryotic genomes. In vertebrates the Esco1 and Esco2 acetyltransferases both modify cohesin's Smc3 subunit to establish sister chromatid cohesion during S phase, but differ in their N-terminal domains and expression during development and across the cell cycle. Here we show that Esco1 and Esco2 also differ dramatically in their interaction with chromatin, as Esco1 is recruited by cohesin to over 11,000 sites, whereas Esco2 is infrequently enriched at REST/NRSF target genes. Esco1's colocalization with cohesin occurs throughout the cell cycle and depends on two short motifs (the A-box and B-box) present in and unique to all Esco1 orthologs. Deleting either motif led to the derepression of Esco1-proximal genes and functional uncoupling of cohesion from Smc3 acetylation. In contrast, other mutations that preserved Esco1's recruitment separated its roles in cohesion establishment and gene silencing. We conclude that Esco1 uses cohesin as both a substrate and a scaffold for coordinating multiple chromatin-based transactions in somatic cells.

The TALE face of Hox proteins in animal evolution.

Hox genes are major regulators of embryonic development. One of their most conserved functions is to coordinate the formation of specific body structures along the anterior-posterior (AP) axis in Bilateria. This architectural role was at the basis of several morphological innovations across bilaterian evolution. In this review, we traced the origin of the Hox patterning system by considering the partnership with PBC and Meis proteins. PBC and Meis belong to the TALE-class of homeodomain-containing transcription factors and act as generic cofactors of Hox proteins for AP axis patterning in Bilateria. Recent data indicate that Hox proteins acquired the ability to interact with their TALE partners in the last common ancestor of Bilateria and Cnidaria. These interactions relied initially on a short peptide motif called hexapeptide (HX), which is present in Hox and non-Hox protein families. Remarkably, Hox proteins can also recruit the TALE cofactors by using specific PBC Interaction Motifs (SPIMs). We describe how a functional Hox/TALE patterning system emerged in eumetazoans through the acquisition of SPIMs. We anticipate that interaction flexibility could be found in other patterning systems, being at the heart of the astonishing morphological diversity observed in the animal kingdom.

CACTA-superfamily transposable element is inserted in MYB transcription factor gene of soybean line producing variegated seeds.

The R gene of soybean, presumably encoding a MYB transcription factor, controls seed coat color. The gene consists of multiple alleles, R (black), r-m (black spots and (or) concentric streaks on brown seed), and r (brown seed). This study was conducted to determine the structure of the MYB transcription factor gene in a near-isogenic line (NIL) having r-m allele. PCR amplification of a fragment of the candidate gene Glyma.09G235100 generated a fragment of about 1 kb in the soybean cultivar Clark, whereas a fragment of about 14 kb in addition to fragments of 1 and 1.4 kb were produced in L72-2040, a Clark 63 NIL with the r-m allele. Clark 63 is a NIL of Clark with the rxp and Rps1 alleles. A DNA fragment of 13 060 bp was inserted in the intron of Glyma.09G235100 in L72-2040. The fragment had the CACTA motif at both ends, imperfect terminal inverted repeats (TIR), inverse repetition of short sequence motifs close to the 5' and 3' ends, and a duplication of three nucleotides at the site of integration, indicating that it belongs to a CACTA-superfamily transposable element. We designated the element as Tgm11. Overall nucleotide sequence, motifs of TIR, and subterminal repeats were similar to those of Tgm1 and Tgs1, suggesting that these elements comprise a family.

Dissecting the target specificity of RNase H recruiting oligonucleotides using massively parallel reporter analysis of short RNA motifs.

Processing and post-transcriptional regulation of RNA often depend on binding of regulatory molecules to short motifs in RNA. The effects of such interactions are difficult to study, because most regulatory molecules recognize partially degenerate RNA motifs, embedded in a sequence context specific for each RNA. Here, we describe Library Sequencing (LibSeq), an accurate massively parallel reporter method for completely characterizing the regulatory potential of thousands of short RNA sequences in a specific context. By sequencing cDNA derived from a plasmid library expressing identical reporter genes except for a degenerate 7mer subsequence in the 3′UTR, the regulatory effects of each 7mer can be determined. We show that LibSeq identifies regulatory motifs used by RNA-binding proteins and microRNAs. We furthermore apply the method to cells transfected with RNase H recruiting oligonucleotides to obtain quantitative information for >15000 potential target sequences in parallel. These comprehensive datasets provide insights into the specificity requirements of RNase H and allow a specificity measure to be calculated for each tested oligonucleotide. Moreover, we show that inclusion of chemical modifications in the central part of an RNase H recruiting oligonucleotide can increase its sequence-specificity.

The VQ Motif-Containing Protein Family of Plant-Specific Transcriptional Regulators.

The VQ motif-containing proteins (designated as VQ proteins) are a class of plant-specific proteins with a conserved and single short FxxhVQxhTG amino acid sequence motif. VQ proteins regulate diverse developmental processes, including responses to biotic and abiotic stresses, seed development, and photomorphogenesis. In this Update, we summarize and discuss recent advances in our understanding of the regulation and function of VQ proteins and the role of the VQ motif in mediating transcriptional regulation and protein-protein interactions in signaling pathways. Based on the accumulated evidence, we propose a general mechanism of action for the VQ protein family, which likely defines a novel class of transcriptional regulators specific to plants.

Engineered antibody domains with significantly increased transcytosis and half-life in macaques mediated by FcRn

Engineered antibody domains (eAds) are promising candidate therapeutics but their half-life is relatively short partly due to weak or absent binding to the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn). We developed a novel approach to increase the eAd binding to FcRn based on a combination of structure-based design, computational modeling and phage display methodologies. By using this approach, we identified 2 IgG1 CH2-derived eAds fused to a short FcRn-binding motif derived from IgG1 CH3 that exhibited greatly enhanced FcRn binding with strict pH dependency. Importantly, the increased affinity resulted in significantly enhanced FcRn-mediated epithelial transcytosis and prolonged elimination half-life (mean 44.1 hours) in cynomolgus macaques. These results demonstrate for the first time that the half-life of isolated eAds can be prolonged (optimized) by increasing their binding to FcRn while maintaining their small size, which has important implications for development of therapeutics, including eAd-drug conjugates with enhanced penetration in solid tissues.

GreedyPlus: An Algorithm for the Alignment of Interface Interaction Networks.

The increasing ease and accuracy of protein-protein interaction detection has resulted in the ability to map the interactomes of multiple species. We now have an opportunity to compare species to better understand how interactomes evolve. As DNA and protein sequence alignment algorithms were required for comparative genomics, network alignment algorithms are required for comparative interactomics. A number of network alignment methods have been developed for protein-protein interaction networks, where proteins are represented as vertices linked by edges if they interact. Recently, protein interactions have been mapped at the level of amino acid positions, which can be represented as an interface-interaction network (IIN), where vertices represent binding sites, such as protein domains and short sequence motifs. However, current algorithms are not designed to align these networks and generally fail to do so in practice. We present a greedy algorithm, GreedyPlus, for IIN alignment, combining data from diverse sources, including network, protein and binding site properties, to identify putative orthologous relationships between interfaces in available worm and yeast data. GreedyPlus is fast and simple, allowing for easy customization of behaviour, yet still capable of generating biologically meaningful network alignments.

A widespread role of the motif environment in transcription factor binding across diverse protein families.

Transcriptional regulation requires the binding of transcription factors (TFs) to short sequence-specific DNA motifs, usually located at the gene regulatory regions. Interestingly, based on a vast amount of data accumulated from genomic assays, it has been shown that only a small fraction of all potential binding sites containing the consensus motif of a given TF actually bind the protein. Recent in vitro binding assays, which exclude the effects of the cellular environment, also demonstrate selective TF binding. An intriguing conjecture is that the surroundings of cognate binding sites have unique characteristics that distinguish them from other sequences containing a similar motif that are not bound by the TF. To test this hypothesis, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of the sequence and DNA shape features surrounding the core-binding sites of 239 and 56 TFs extracted from in vitro HT-SELEX binding assays and in vivo ChIP-seq data, respectively. Comparing the nucleotide content of the regions around the TF-bound sites to the counterpart unbound regions containing the same consensus motifs revealed significant differences that extend far beyond the core-binding site. Specifically, the environment of the bound motifs demonstrated unique sequence compositions, DNA shape features, and overall high similarity to the core-binding motif. Notably, the regions around the binding sites of TFs that belong to the same TF families exhibited similar features, with high agreement between the in vitro and in vivo data sets. We propose that these unique features assist in guiding TFs to their cognate binding sites.

A Proline-Tryptophan Turn in the Intrinsically Disordered Domain 2 of NS5A Protein Is Essential for Hepatitis C Virus RNA Replication

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) nonstructural protein 5A (NS5A) and its interaction with the human chaperone cyclophilin A are both targets for highly potent and promising antiviral drugs that are in the late stages of clinical development. Despite its high interest in regards to the development of drugs to counteract the worldwide HCV burden, NS5A is still an enigmatic multifunctional protein poorly characterized at the molecular level. NS5A is required for HCV RNA replication and is involved in viral particle formation and regulation of host pathways. Thus far, no enzymatic activity or precise molecular function has been ascribed to NS5A that is composed of a highly structured domain 1 (D1), as well as two intrinsically disordered domains 2 (D2) and 3 (D3), representing half of the protein. Here, we identify a short structural motif in the disordered NS5A-D2 and report its NMR structure. We show that this structural motif, a minimal Pro(314)-Trp(316) turn, is essential for HCV RNA replication, and its disruption alters the subcellular distribution of NS5A. We demonstrate that this Pro-Trp turn is required for proper interaction with the host cyclophilin A and influences its peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans isomerase activity on residue Pro(314) of NS5A-D2. This work provides a molecular basis for further understanding of the function of the intrinsically disordered domain 2 of HCV NS5A protein. In addition, our work highlights how very small structural motifs present in intrinsically disordered proteins can exert a specific function.

Spider wrapping silk fibre architecture arising from its modular soluble protein precursor.

Spiders store spidroins in their silk glands as high concentration aqueous solutions, spinning these dopes into fibres with outstanding mechanical properties. Aciniform (or wrapping) silk is the toughest spider silk and is devoid of the short amino acid sequence motifs characteristic of the other spidroins. Using solution-state NMR spectroscopy, we demonstrate that the 200 amino acid Argiope trifasciata AcSp1 repeat unit contrasts with previously characterized spidroins, adopting a globular 5-helix bundle flanked by intrinsically disordered N- and C-terminal tails. Split-intein-mediated segmental NMR-active isotope-enrichment allowed unambiguous demonstration of modular and malleable “beads-on-a-string” concatemeric behaviour. Concatemers form fibres upon manual drawing with silk-like morphology and mechanical properties, alongside secondary structuring and orientation consistent with native AcSp1 fibres. AcSp1 structural stability varies locally, with the fifth helix denaturing most readily. The structural transition of aciniform spidroin from a mostly α-helical dope to a mixed α-helix/β-sheet-containing fibre can be directly related to spidroin architecture and stability.

Deciphering the protein-RNA recognition code: combining large-scale quantitative methods with structural biology.

RNA binding proteins (RBPs) are key factors for the regulation of gene expression by binding to cis elements, i.e. short sequence motifs in RNAs. Recent studies demonstrate that cooperative binding of multiple RBPs is important for the sequence-specific recognition of RNA and thereby enables the regulation of diverse biological activities by a limited set of RBPs. Cross-linking immuno-precipitation (CLIP) and other recently developed high-throughput methods provide comprehensive, genome-wide maps of protein-RNA interactions in the cell. Structural biology gives detailed insights into molecular mechanisms and principles of RNA recognition by RBPs, but has so far focused on single RNA binding proteins and often on single RNA binding domains. The combination of high-throughput methods and detailed structural biology studies is expected to greatly advance our understanding of the code for protein-RNA recognition in gene regulation, as we review in this article.

A conformational epitope mapped in the bovine herpesvirus type 1 envelope glycoprotein B by phage display and the HSV-1 3D structure

The selected dodecapeptide 1DRALYGPTVIDH12 from a phage-displayed peptide library and the crystal structure of the envelope glycoprotein B (Env gB) from Herpes Simplex Virus type 1 (HSV-1) led us to the identification of a new discontinuous epitope on the Bovine herpesvirus type 1 (BoHV-1) Env gB. In silico analysis revealed a short BoHV-1 gB motif (338YKRD341) within a epitope region, with a high similarity to the motifs shared by the dodecapeptide N-terminal region (5YxARD1) and HSV-1 Env gB (326YARD329), in which the 328Arg residue is described to be a neutralizing antibody target. Besides the characterization of an antibody-binding site of the BoHV-1 Env gB, we have demonstrated that the phage-fused peptide has the potential to be used as a reagent for virus diagnosis by phage-ELISA assay, which discriminated BoHV-1 infected serum samples from negative ones.

Coxsackievirus B3 2A protease promotes encephalomyocarditis virus replication

To determine whether 2A protease of the enterovirus genus with type I internal ribosome entry site (IRES) effect on the viral replication of type II IRES, coxsackievirus B3(CVB3)-encoded protease 2A and encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV) IRES (Type II)-dependent or cap-dependent report gene were transiently co-expressed in eukaryotic cells. We found that CVB3 2A protease not only inhibited translation of cap-dependent reporter genes through the cleavage of eIF4GI, but also conferred high EMCV IRES-dependent translation ability and promoted EMCV replication. Moreover, deletions of short motif (aa13–18 RVVNRH, aa65–70 KNKHYP, or aa88–93 PRRYQSH) resembling the nuclear localization signals (NLS) or COOH-terminal acidic amino acid motif (aa133–147 DIRDLLWLEDDAMEQ) of CVB3 2A protease decreased both its EMCV IRES-dependent translation efficiency and destroy its cleavage on eukaryotic initiation factor 4G (eIF4G) I. Our results may provide better understanding into more effective interventions and treatments for co-infection of viral diseases.