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Transcription and gene regulation. sven.nelander@wlab.gu.se. RNA in a mammalian cell. Amount #genes Protein-coding RNA 5% 20000 (mRNA) Non-coding RNA 95% <1000 (tRNA, rRNA, miRNA). mRNA expression levels. X axis: organ (skin, heart, brain and so on)
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Transcription and gene regulation sven.nelander@wlab.gu.se
RNA in a mammalian cell Amount #genes Protein-coding RNA 5% 20000 (mRNA) Non-coding RNA 95% <1000 (tRNA, rRNA, miRNA)
mRNA expression levels X axis: organ (skin, heart, brain and so on) Y axis: mRNA expression level
Rare and abundant transcripts Tnnt2 TROPONIN T, CARDIAC MUSCLE ISOFORM Actc1 ACTIN, ALPHA CARDIAC Number of genes Srf SERUM RESPONSE FACTOR Transcripts per cell
How are transcript levels controlled? 1. Synthesis Changes in the chromatin Transcription 2. Decay Degradation by RNases
Accessible and non-accessible chromatin Quantitative chromatin profiling of the CD2 gene (Dorschner et al, Nature Methods)
How is a gene made (in)accessible for transcription? • 1. Chemical modifications of histones • Acetylation open configuration • Deacetylation closed configuration • 2. Chemical modification of the DNA • Methylation no transcription
RNA polymerase II • The enzyme that makes protein-coding transcripts • RNA pol II is non-specific in its pure form: ANY DNA RNA COPY • ~40 basal transcription factors are needed to make RNApol II promoter-specific THE DNA OF A GENE RNA COPY • ~2000 transcription factors are needed to regulate the action of RNApol II THE DNA OF THE RIGHT GENE RNA COPY
Gene regulation We want to define … • The cis regulatory elements (CREs) • The transcription factors that act on the CREs
Studying gene regulation • Traditional experiments • Global experiments • Computational methods
LacZ Example 1: a traditional approach Mack and Owens, Circ. Res. 84:852, 1999
Transcriptional Regulation of SMC Genes is Dependent on Complex Combinatorial Interactions of Many Cis Elements and Trans Factors Angiotensin II EBoxes + MHOX/Prx1 E12/E47 PIAS1 SRF SRF ? ? SRF SRF SRF SRF + TGF b1 CArG B GATA Factors Myocardin Myocardin Myocardin CRP2 CArG A Pol II Complex Int CArG KLF5 + KLF4 - TBP TCE TATA
Example 2: a modern experimental approach • Which are the targets of transcription factor X?
MyoD and myogenin targets in muscle development (Blais et al, Genes Dev 2005)
Example 3: a typical bioinformatic approach • Which genes are targeted by factor X? 1. Identify genomic regions likely to contain regulators 2. Identify potential sites for factor X
Two views on heart development ! SRF TGIF/MEIS MEF2 OTHERS Cripps RM, Olson EM. Control of cardiac development by an evolutionarily conserved transcriptional network.Dev Biol. 2002 Jun 1;246(1):14-28. www.wlab.gu.se/lindahl/genebatteries
Conclusions: • RNA levels are tightly regulated by transcription and degradation • Transcription is a product of • chromatin modifications • cis regulatory elements • transcription factors • There is a number of experimental and computational methods
Master’s projects • 1. EGFR pathway – towards combinatorial treatment of solid tumours? • 2. From stem cell to B cell • 3. Evolution of Serum Response Factor regulation
Previous students • Erik Larsson • Graduate student, Wallenberg Lab / GU • Tanya Lobovkina • Graduate student, Physical chemistry / Chalmers • Nino Demetrashvili
Reading tips • About transcriptional regulation • ’Genes and Signals’ by M Ptashne • ’Genomic regulatory systems’ by E Davidson • Some labs doing nice work • Transcript exploration: P Kapranov • Chromatin: R Young • Nucleus biology: P Silver • Genome analysis: D Haussler