PUBLICATION
The transcription of the main gene associated with Treacher-Collins syndrome (TCOF1) is regulated by G-quadruplexes and cellular nucleic acid binding protein (CNBP)
- Authors
- Gil Rosas, M., Centola, C., Torres, M., Mouguelar, V.S., David, A.P., Piga, E.J., Gomez, D., Calcaterra, N.B., Armas, P., Coux, G.
- ID
- ZDB-PUB-240331-2
- Date
- 2024
- Source
- Scientific Reports 14: 74727472 (Journal)
- Registered Authors
- Calcaterra, Nora
- Keywords
- Craniofacial development, Mandibulofacial dysostosis, Non-canonical DNA structure, Transcriptional control, Zebrafish, Zinc finger protein 9
- MeSH Terms
-
- Animals
- DNA/metabolism
- G-Quadruplexes*
- HEK293 Cells
- HeLa Cells
- Humans
- Mandibulofacial Dysostosis*/genetics
- Mandibulofacial Dysostosis*/metabolism
- Nuclear Proteins/genetics
- Nuclear Proteins/metabolism
- Phosphoproteins/metabolism
- RNA-Binding Proteins/genetics
- RNA-Binding Proteins/metabolism
- Transcription Factors/metabolism
- Zebrafish/genetics
- Zebrafish/metabolism
- PubMed
- 38553547 Full text @ Sci. Rep.
Citation
Gil Rosas, M., Centola, C., Torres, M., Mouguelar, V.S., David, A.P., Piga, E.J., Gomez, D., Calcaterra, N.B., Armas, P., Coux, G. (2024) The transcription of the main gene associated with Treacher-Collins syndrome (TCOF1) is regulated by G-quadruplexes and cellular nucleic acid binding protein (CNBP). Scientific Reports. 14:74727472.
Abstract
Treacle ribosome biogenesis factor 1 (TCOF1) is responsible for about 80% of mandibular dysostosis (MD) cases. We have formerly identified a correlation between TCOF1 and CNBP (CCHC-type zinc finger nucleic acid binding protein) expression in human mesenchymal cells. Given the established role of CNBP in gene regulation during rostral development, we explored the potential for CNBP to modulate TCOF1 transcription. Computational analysis for CNBP binding sites (CNBP-BSs) in the TCOF1 promoter revealed several putative binding sites, two of which (Hs791 and Hs2160) overlap with putative G-quadruplex (G4) sequences (PQSs). We validated the folding of these PQSs measuring circular dichroism and fluorescence of appropriate synthetic oligonucleotides. In vitro studies confirmed binding of purified CNBP to the target PQSs (both folded as G4 and unfolded) with Kd values in the nM range. ChIP assays conducted in HeLa cells chromatin detected the CNBP binding to TCOF1 promoter. Transient transfections of HEK293 cells revealed that Hs2160 cloned upstream SV40 promoter increased transcription of downstream firefly luciferase reporter gene. We also detected a CNBP-BS and PQS (Dr2393) in the zebrafish TCOF1 orthologue promoter (nolc1). Disrupting this G4 in zebrafish embryos by microinjecting DNA antisense oligonucleotides complementary to Dr2393 reduced the transcription of nolc1 and recapitulated the craniofacial anomalies characteristic of Treacher Collins Syndrome. Both cnbp overexpression and Morpholino-mediated knockdown in zebrafish induced nolc1 transcription. These results suggest that CNBP modulates the transcriptional expression of TCOF1 through a mechanism involving G-quadruplex folding/unfolding, and that this regulation is active in vertebrates as distantly related as bony fish and humans. These findings may have implications for understanding and treating MD.
Genes / Markers
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping