Genome organisation, rRNA processing and Nuclear Transport Flashcards
In common with all other organelles…
… the nucleus has it’s own
biochemical and molecular profile (repository for the genetic code)
Traffic across …the nuclear envelope is
…highly regulated, involves the movement of nucleic acid (mRNA, tRNA, shRNA…) and specific proteins
The nucleus is highly…
…. structured.
What is th enucleus organised into?
eugenetic and heterogenetic
domains
What is the nucleolus for?
a region for ribosome synthesis
the nucleus is patitioned from the cytoplasm by a …
…. double membrane, known as the nuclear envelope
the outer membrane is continuous with the …
… ER (endoplasmic reticulum).
What are nuclear pores?
protein complexes (~100 proteins) >1250 kDa, tightly regulate
what goes in and out of nucleus
how many nuclear pores per nucleus?
3000 - 4000 per nucleus.
what is the inner membrane really important for?
nuclear structure and function
Inner membrane associated proteins are essential for these processes, which include: ?
Lamin-B receptor (LBR)
Lamina-associated polypeptide-2 (LAP2)
Lamina-associated polypeptide-1 (LAP1)
Emerin
MAN1
Inner membrane associated proteins all have an ….
N-term nucleoplasmictail, which is subject to posttranslational
modification (phosphorylation)
What is lamin-B receptor involved in?
protein-protein interaction and exists in a large protein complex with:
LBR kinase
p18
p32/34
Lamin A
Lamin B
Lamin-mesh of filaments (lamin A, B and C proteins) arrange on…
… the inside surface of the inner nuclear membrane (structural support)
Lamins also interact with chromatin through…
… α-helical matrix attachment regions (MAR); that associate with 300 – 1000 bp (A-T) rich
genomic regions
Lamin-mesh breaks apart during…
…nuclear disassembly
Lamin-mesh breaks apart
during nuclear disassembly
(mitosis).
What is central to this process?
Phosphorylation of LBR by LBR kinase is central to this process
LBR also interacts directly with …
chromatin proteins, such as HP1 (heterochromatin protein)
Other inner membrane
proteins interact with
chroamtin…
Emerin, MAN1…etc
Function of the inner membrane?
- Organises the nucleus; structural proteins and chromatin
- Also organises transcription sites (mRNA produced near membrane
pores; export much more efficient)
Describe RFBP-RUSH complex.
- Ring finger binding protein (RFBP), interacts with RUSH with facilitates gene transcription through chromatin remodelling (interaction implicated in hormone regulation gene transcription)
- RUSH mediates switch of heterochromatin to euchromatin
What does RUSH interact with?
RFBP (inner nuclear membrane protein)
RUSH has a …
…ring finger domain, which binds DNA, RNA protein, and/or lipid
RUSHinteracts with RFBP (inner nuclear membrane protein).
This interaction facilitates …
… the localisation of gene transcription with chromatin remodelling complex.
Positively charged histones (DNA binding proteins) form…
… strong interactions
with negatively charged
sugar-phosphate back bone
Histone acetylation removes…
… removes positive charge, releasing
DNA allowing transcription complex binding
DNA and histone methylation patterns also contribute to …
…chromatin/nuclear architecture.
euchromatin transcription hotspots are …
… highly organised.
DNA is not…
… ‘naked’ in the nucleus
How does dna exist in the nucleus?
exists as a nucleoprotein complex known as chromatin (histone / DNA complex = nucleosome)
What are the 5 different histone classes?
H1, H2a, H2b, H3 and H4 (in a nucleosome there is: 1H1, 2H2a, 2H2b, 2H3 and 2H4 = 9)
What do histones control?
Histones control two vital cell cycle events:
1) DNA replication during S phase
2) Chromatin condensation
(chromosomes)
There are several kinases responsible for phosphorylating.
What do these kinases do?
adding a phosphate group to histones.
Cyc;in dependatnt kinases (CDK) are able to…
… phosphorylate histone
Cyclin dependent kinase (CDK) are able to phosphorylate histone
e.g. Physarum polycephalum has four
phosphorylation sites on histone H1- Thr16, Thr136, Thr153 and Ser180
What are these sites known as?
mitosis associated phosphorylations
Thr136, Thr153 and Ser180 are of particular interest in this model, as phosphorylation at these sites promotes…
…nucleosome loosening, allowing access to DNA polymerase (S phase).
Removal of phosphaate from histones promotes…
…DNA condensation (chromosome formation)
WHats responsible for the removal of phosphate?
phosphatase.
It is the N-terminal histone tails which are the sites of …
… post-translational modification (including phosphorylation)
How many acetyl groups can be added to h3 and h4?
up to four acetyl groups can be
added to H3 and H4 (histone acetylases or HAT enzymes) – loosen
nucleosome
Function of Methyl transferase methylate DNA, phosphatases and histone de
acetylases (HDAC) ?
remove phosphate and acetyl groups
(condensed DNA).
Important features of Stem Cells?
1) Unspecialised
2) Can differentiate (see semester 2)
3) Self-renewal (i.e. regenerate / lifelong)
At the top of the progeny map left is
the ‘stem cell’, with …
… unlimited capacity to self-renew and produce ‘differentiated’
cells of various types
The ‘progenitor cells’, midway down have…
… limited capacity to self-renew and differentiate
Terminally differentiated cells do not …
…self renew and do not differentiate
If stem cellscontain the same 46 chromosomes (genes) as terminally
differentiated cells, why do stem cells remain undifferentiated?
chromatin is organised differently in stem cells
DNAin the nucleus exists in …
… a complex with Histone proteins
DNA wraps around a …
… Histone
protein core
Histone proteins and DNA are …
… biochemically modified
Biochemical modification alters the…
… wrap tightness
Loose wrap =
Euchromatin
Tight wrap =
Heterochromatin
What Charge is DNA?
Phosphate (PO4-) contains
oxygen, which creates negative
dipoles
Methyl groups (CH4) have no
oxygen and are…
… hydrophobic
Add methyl to DNA & Histone
tails creates…
… ‘sticky’ patches,
leading to heterochromatin
Add Acetate (C2H3O2-) to
histones creates…
… negatively
charged histones, which repel
negatively charged DNA leading
to euchromatin
Embryonic stem cells express a gene known as …
…DNMT3L
What does DNMT3L code for?
one of the DNA methyltransferase chromatin remodelling enzyme
Embryonic stem cells express a gene known as DNMT3L which codes for one of the DNA methyltransferase chromatin remodelling enzyme.
The result is…
… euchromatin in regions of the genome that allow the expression of stem cell specific
genes (e.g. hTERT), whereas genes required for tissue specific differentiation are closed off.
This ensures that the stem cell remains unspecialised and is immortal.
Define Epigenetics
Epigenetics is the study of stable phenotypic changes that do not involve alterations in the DNA sequence
chromatin remodelling in stem
cells permits the expression of…
… stem cells specific genes, whilst switching off
tissue specific genes.
When we look at histone proteins in stem cells compared to terminally
differentiated cells, we see…
… chemical modifications unique to the stem
cell.
Histone protein 3 (H3) appears
to be really important in…
… maintaining the stem cell state
‘stemness’
Methyl groups (CH4) are added to…
… lysine residues (K) on the tails of H3
Methyl groups (CH4) are added to
lysine residues (K) on the tails of H3.
How many methyl groups can be added at any one time?
→up to three methyl groups can be added at any one time (hypermethylation)
In stem cells, H3 the lysine (K) at position 4 is hyper methylated (H3K4me3) as well as…
… H3 at lysine (K) at position 27 (H3K27me3).
Whats the function of H3K4me3 ?
This is seen in genes which are active
i.e. switches gene transcription on
What is the function of H3K27me3 ?
This inactivates gene transcription.
H3K4me3is observed in…
… the promotor region of several thousand
lineage specific genes in stem cells –yet these genes are not expressed.
H3K4me3is observed in the promotor region of several thousand lineage specific genesin stem cells –yet these genes are not expressed
H3K27me3 …
… blocks these genes from being produced
This bivalent modificationof H3…
… poises the stem cell for differentiation
Genetic programming is different in stem cells – same genome, but the
chemical modifications of the DNA and Histones prevents…
… lineage specific gene expression
What is the nucleolus?
The nucleolus is a highly organised nuclear domain that is the site of ribosome synthesis
on what chromosomes are the p arms located?
13, 14, 15, 21 & 22.
Nucleolar organising region (NOR)
on p arms of chromosomes; 13,
14, 15, 21 & 22 …
… aggregate, along with rRNA and ribosomal proteins (densely stained region within this
nucleus).
80% of RNA in a proliferating mammalian cell is…
… rRNA
15% of RNA is…
… tRNA
5% of RNA is …
…mRNA (protein coding).
Ribosomes are…
… protein / rRNA complex; two
subunits 40s and 60s in higher eukaryotic cells
Ribosomal synthesis requires…
…RNA polymerases and associated proteins
Function of RNA polymerase I ?
transcribes rRNA
RNA polymerase II function ?
ribosomal protein transcription
~70 ribosomal proteins and 150 RNA / proteins that…
… interact transiently (during pre-rRNA editing)
46 protein subunits form a complex with …
… 28s and 5.8s rRNAproducing the 60s ribosome subunit
Initiation factors (UBF, SL1 & TIFIA complex) bind to…
… upstream of rDNA gene, promoting RNA polymerase I binding
t-UTP sub-complex is necessary for…
… the transcription of the pre-rRNA molecule (unedited like the primary mRNA transcript)
Assembly of t-Utp sub-complex on nascent pre-rRNA promotes…
… the binding of other sub-complexes of proteins and snoRNA (short nucleolar RNA)
U3 snoRNA has …
… complementary bases, and bind to the nascent pre-rRNA promoting rRNA folding and initiating pre-rRNA editing.
Additional snoRNA protein complexes bind, forming the…
… SSU processome, initiating A0 cleavage of pre-rRNA.
What does the SSU contain?
contains rRNA + small subunit proteins.
Describe progressive cleavage?
all sites: A1, A2 A3, B1, C2, D etc.. is required to
remove ITS1 and ITS2 and create the respective rRNA molecules that will complex with respective proteins to for the 40s and 60s ribosomal subunits.
Mature rRNA is complexed with…
…protein and exported to the cytoplasm
for ribosome construction
RNA exists as a…
… complex between nucleic acid and protein (RNP).
RNA is extensively…
… edited (5’ methyl cap added and 3’ poly-A
tail)
Splice factor proteins associate
with …
… splice sites
Nuclear export factor (NXF1) and
nuclear export transporter (NXT1)
associate with…
… RNA and ancillary proteins
NXF1/NXT1 proteins interact with…
… FG hydrophobic cloud
NXF1/NXT1 proteins carry…
… RNP through the plasma membrane
RNA transport is…
… Ran-GTP independent
NXF1/NXT1 bind along the…
… length of the RNP → facilitate export
FG rich protein filaments extend
from…
… the FG core into the nucleoplasm (form nuclear basket) and into the cytoplasm
It is estimated that the nucleus
transports…
… 50 – 250 mRNA and 10 – 20 ribosomal RNP molecules per minute.
How mamny protein molecules transported per minute?
60,000
All nuclear proteins (histones, ribonuclear, transcription factors, lamins,
polymerase etc..) are…
… translated in the cytoplasm
Protein destined to reside in the nucleus contain …
… nuclear localisation signal (NLS) peptide (signal patch): Pro-Lys-Lys-Lys-Arg-Lys-Val
Proteins transported in and out of the nucleus require…
… ancillary protein assistance (RAN, Nuclear transport receptor).
Whats the function of RAN ?
a molecular switch that alternates form
‘off’ to ‘on’ when bound to GDP or
GTP
Function of nuclear transport receptor?
binds to NLS of cargo protein (forms complex)
Ran is a G-protein (GTPase protein) involved in…
… nuclear transport
Ran when bound to GTP has a…
… particular conformation that recognises
the cargo protein.
Intrinsic GTPase activity of Ran converts…
GTP -> GDP (changes Ran conformation
Function of Guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF)?
protein that switch GDP → GTP in G-proteins