Nascent RNA and the Coordination of Splicing with Transcription
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Downloaded from http://cshperspectives.cshlp.org/ on October 3, 2021 - Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press Nascent RNA and the Coordination of Splicing with Transcription Karla M. Neugebauer Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520 Correspondence: [email protected] SUMMARY At each active protein-encoding gene, nascent RNA is tethered to the DNA axis by elongating RNA polymerase II (Pol II) and is continuously altered by splicing and other processing events during its synthesis. This review discusses the development of three major methods that ena- ble us to track the conversion of precursor messenger RNA (pre-mRNA) to messenger RNA (mRNA) products in vivo: live-cell imaging, metabolic labeling of RNA, and RNA-seq of purified nascent RNA. These approaches are complementary, addressing distinct issues of transcription rates and intron lifetimes alongside spatial information regarding the gene posi- tion of Pol II at which spliceosomes act. The findings will be placed in the context of active transcription units, each of which—because of the presence of nascent RNA, Pol II, and features of the chromatin environment—will recruit a potentially gene-specific constellation of RNA binding proteins and processing machineries. Outline 1 Introduction 5 The coordination of splicing with transcription 2 Quantification of splicing relative to transcription using chromatin-based assays 6 Concluding remarks 3 Quantification of splicing rates through References RNA metabolic labeling 4 Quantification of splicing rates through live-cell fluorescence imaging Editors: Thomas R. Cech, Joan A. Steitz, and John F. Atkins Additional Perspectives on RNA Worlds available at www.cshperspectives.org Copyright # 2019 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press; all rights reserved; doi: 10.1101/cshperspect.a032227 Cite this article as Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2019;11:a032227 1 Downloaded from http://cshperspectives.cshlp.org/ on October 3, 2021 - Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press K.M. Neugebauer 1 INTRODUCTION ing approaches to provide key insights into the coordination of precursor messenger RNA (pre-mRNA) processing with Gene expression begins with the synthesis of RNA from the transcription. DNA template by RNA polymerase. The steady state level of What proportion of introns are removed concurrently any RNA in the cell reflects the balance between its syn- with transcription? Global studies have approached this thesis and degradation by specific enzymes; yet, many re- question by purifying nascent RNA from a chromatin actions take place between these two end points. One fraction and preparing RNA-seq libraries or probes for implicit goal of next-generation RNA sequencing (RNA- high-density tiling arrays. Co-transcriptional splicing fre- seq) is to characterize all possible RNAs expressed in cells ′ quencies were similarly high in budding yeast (75%), fly from their 5 ends—indicative of transcription start sites ′ ′ (83%), and human (74%–85%) cell lines and tissues, al- (TSSs)—to their 3 ends—indicative of 3 -end formation. though a lower proportion (45%) was detected by analysis RNA-seq also reveals massive variation throughout tran- of mouse liver nascent RNA (Carrillo Oesterreich et al. script bodies. In the case of eukaryotic messenger RNA 2010; Ameur et al. 2011; Khodor et al. 2011; Khodor et al. (mRNA), this variation is the result of splicing, editing, ′ 2012; Tilgner et al. 2012). Validation of RNA-seq and array nucleotide modification, and 3 -end cleavage and polyade- data by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain nylation, each of which is subject to regulation. A second reaction (RT-qPCR) strengthened and extended these find- goal of RNA-seq is to quantify RNA levels in cells. Standard ings (Carrillo Oesterreich et al. 2010; Ameur et al. 2011). analysis of mRNA reports on steady state levels of the prod- General agreement with these numbers came from meta- ucts of all of these reactions and can generate hypotheses bolic labeling (Windhager et al. 2012) and protein biochem- about what may have occurred during an mRNA’s lifetime. istry and immunofluorescence, showing that most active Because each step of mRNA processing at least begins spliceosomes are associated with chromatin (Girard et al. co-transcriptionally (Fig. 1), sequencing of nascent RNA 2012). That said, not all intron removal is co-transcription- provides evidence of the precursors, intermediates, and al. In particular, terminal introns are least well removed products. In the past decade, these next-generation se- co-transcriptionally, in agreement with RT-PCR studies quencing applications have complemented live-cell imag- of individual endogenous genes (Schmidt et al. 2011; Tilgner et al. 2012). Furthermore, 20% of activated spliceosomes in the cell are not chromatin-associated (Girard et al. 2012), and constitutive splicing appears to be more co-transcrip- tional than alternative splicing (Ameur et al. 2011; Khodor et al. 2011; Tilgner et al. 2012). Moreover, particular cell types use intron retention or detention as a regulatory step A (Pandya-Jones et al. 2013; Wong et al. 2013; Braunschweig A A et al. 2014; Boutz et al. 2015; Pimentel et al. 2016). Taken A together, global studies indicate that most introns are re- moved co-transcriptionally despite differences in species, ′ ′ 5 SS 3 SS cell types, and analysis methods (Brugiolo et al. 2013). Capping Splicing Co-transcriptional pre-mRNA processing events can be Polyadenylation coupled physically or temporally to one another, to chro- matin, and/or to RNA polymerase II (Pol II). Early evidence Figure 1. Co-transcriptional RNA processing of eukaryotic protein- coding genes. Schematic diagram depicting a eukaryotic gene with its that transcription-splicing coupling is an important deter- transcription start site (forward arrow), two annotated exons (thick minant of gene expression came from the analysis of mRNA boxes), and one intron (line). The 5′ end of the annotated intron, or products in response to changes in coupling. For example, 5′ splice site, and the 3′ end, the 3′ splice site, are marked 5′SS and ′ ′ the 5 -end capping enzymes physically associate with Pol II 3 SS, respectively. RNA polymerase II (Pol II) (oval) moves from left carboxy-terminal domain (CTD) heptad repeats that are to right with varying speeds indicated by the forward arrowheads, including pausing marked with a pause symbol. The nascent RNA phosphorylated on serine 5 and are allosterically stimulated (exons depicted with dashed lines and intron with solid line) emerges by this interaction (Cho et al. 1997; McCracken et al. 1997a; from Pol II as elongation proceeds. The nascent RNA 5′ end imme- Cho et al. 1998). When the CTD is truncated, capping fails diately receives a 7-methylguanosine cap (black ball), and cleavage at to occur and mRNA becomes degraded (McCracken et al. the polyadenylation site releases the nascent RNA from Pol II. Many 1997b). It is currently unclear how the exosome gains access splicing events occur after capping and before poly(A) cleavage. The 5′SS and 3′SS are depicted in the nascent RNA as open circles, and to unspliced RNA and whether some proportion of RNA spliceosome assembly is indicated by looping out of the intron. The escapes capping. An example of “kinetic” coupling between intron lariat and spliced nascent RNA products are shown. splicing and transcription is the observation that global 2 Cite this article as Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2019;11:a032227 Downloaded from http://cshperspectives.cshlp.org/ on October 3, 2021 - Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press The Coordination of Splicing with Transcription patterns of alternative splicing are dependent on Pol II nascent RNA, and electron-dense ribonucleoprotein (RNP) elongation rates, which are slowed or accelerated on ultra- particles attached to the nascent RNA were visualized in violet (UV) damage, chromatin modification, and direct these striking images. RNP particles 25 and 40 nm in diam- mutation of Pol II (Munoz et al. 2009; Luco et al. 2011; eter were separated by an RNA loop and appeared at pre- Hnilicova et al. 2013; Schor et al. 2013; Dujardin et al. dictable sites along nascent RNA, suggesting they are 2014; Fong et al. 2014). In considering how splicing and components of the assembling spliceosome. These studies transcription are coordinated with one another, an obvious measured DNA distance in µm to deduce that splicing oc- goal would be to determine in vivo transcription rates and, curred when Pol II had traveled 4.5 kb past the 3′SS (Fig. 2) independently, in vivo splicing rates. Quantifying the rate of (Beyer and Osheim 1988). Many of the observations made co-transcriptional splicing and the relative position of Pol II using chromosome spreading methods are consistent with when splicing occurs is discussed in the following sections. findings in the Balbiani ring of Chironomus tentans, where These splicing rates will inevitably be confounded by the it has been possible to dissect out chromosomal regions and transcription rates. infer co-transcriptional splicing by RT-PCR and other Pol II transcription elongation rates have been cal- methods (Bauren and Wieslander 1994; Bjork and Wies- culated from metabolic labeling data, timed chromatin lander 2015). Although the harsh conditions of chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) experiments, or fluorescence spreading unfold nascent RNA for analysis, electron to- imaging and are available for specific genes or gene