Zfp106 binds to G-quadruplex RNAs and inhibits RAN translation and formation of RNA foci caused by G4C2 repeats

Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Authors
Celona, Barbara
Salomonsson, Sally E.
Wu, Haifan
Dang, Bobo
Kratochvil, Huong T.
Clelland, Claire D.
DeGrado, William F.
Black, Brian L.
Advisors
Issue Date
2024-07-23
Type
Article
Keywords
Chemistry , RNA-binding protein , RAN translation , Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Citation
B. Celona, S.E. Salomonsson, H. Wu, B. Dang, H.T. Kratochvil, C.D. Clelland, W.F. DeGrado, & B.L. Black, Zfp106 binds to G-quadruplex RNAs and inhibits RAN translation and formation of RNA foci caused by G4C2 repeats, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 121 (31) e2220020121, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2220020121
Abstract

Expansion of intronic GGGGCC repeats in the C9orf72 gene causes amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia. Transcription of the expanded repeats results in the formation of RNA-containing nuclear foci and altered RNA metabolism. In addition, repeat-associated non-AUG (RAN) translation of the expanded GGGGCC-repeat sequence results in the production of highly toxic dipeptide-repeat (DPR) proteins. GGGGCC repeat–containing transcripts form G-quadruplexes, which are associated with formation of RNA foci and RAN translation. Zfp106, an RNA-binding protein essential for motor neuron survival in mice, suppresses neurotoxicity in a Drosophila model of C9orf72 ALS. Here, we show that Zfp106 inhibits formation of RNA foci and significantly reduces RAN translation caused by GGGGCC repeats in cultured mammalian cells, and we demonstrate that Zfp106 coexpression reduces the levels of DPRs in C9orf72 patient-derived cells. Further, we show that Zfp106 binds to RNA G-quadruplexes and causes a conformational change in the G-quadruplex structure formed by GGGGCC repeats. Together, these data demonstrate that Zfp106 suppresses the formation of RNA foci and DPRs caused by GGGGCC repeats and suggest that the G-quadruplex RNA-binding function of Zfp106 contributes to its suppression of GGGGCC repeat-mediated cytotoxicity.

Table of Contents
Description
B.C., S.E.S., C.D.C., W.F.D., and B.L.B. designed research; B.C., S.E.S., H.W., B.D., and H.T.K. performed research; C.D.C. contributed new reagents/analytic tools; B.C., S.E.S., H.W., B.D., C.D.C., W.F.D., and B.L.B. analyzed data; and B.C. and B.L.B. wrote the paper.
Significance The most common inherited form of ALS and FTD is caused by expansion of a six-nucleotide GGGGCC repeat in the first intron of the C9orf72 gene. GGGGCC repeat–containing RNAs form focal aggregates and are translated via repeat-associated non-AUG (RAN) translation into highly toxic dipeptide-repeat (DPR) proteins. We show that the zinc finger–containing RNA-binding protein Zfp106 inhibits formation of RNA foci, significantly reduces RAN translation caused by GGGGCC repeats, and suppresses the formation of DPRs in C9orf72 patient-derived cells. We also show that Zfp106 binds to RNA G-quadruplexes and causes a conformational change in the G-quadruplex secondary structure formed by GGGGCC repeats. Taken together, these observations suggest that the G-quadruplex RNA-binding function of Zfp106 contributes to its suppression of GGGGCC repeat-mediated cytotoxicity.
Publisher
National Academy of Sciences
Journal
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Book Title
Series
PubMed ID
ISSN
0027-8424
1091-6490
EISSN