mTOR-regulated U2AF plasticity and alternative polyadenylation PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT U2AF (U2 auxiliary factor, comprised of U2AF1 and U2AF2) is an essential splicing factor and functions in 3?splice site selection during pre-mRNA processing. U2AF has been known to form a constitutive heterodimer and is important for alternative and constitutive splicing. However, preliminary data show that mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) signaling pathway controls the U2AF heterodimerization by U2AF2 phosphorylation- dependent manner. These regulated interactions between U2AF1 and U2AF2 constitute the U2AF plasticity. This newly discovered U2AF plasticity is a key element in alternative splicing and alternative polyadenylation. Based on these findings, the following central hypothesis can be proposed: the U2AF plasticity is a gateway to mTOR-regulated transcriptome reprogramming. The goals of this proposal are to investigate the regulatory mechanism of U2AF plasticity by mTOR and understand how this U2AF plasticity programs the transcriptome by focusing on alternative splicing and alternative polyadenylation. To this end, two specific aims are proposed. In the first aim, the role of mTOR-U2AF plasticity in transcriptome reprogramming will be investigated. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome engineering will be conducted to build up cell models which will constitutively polarize the U2AF plasticity in one way or the other. These cell models will be then tested for cell phenotypic changes and the transcriptomic changes will be profiled. Mutations in U2AF1 are prognostic in acute myeloid leukemia and myeloid dysplasia. Physiological relevance of these mutations to U2AF plasticity will be tested and a current model for disease pathogenesis will be challenged. For these tasks, a new bioinformatic pipeline will be developed. In the second aim, the regulatory axis that connects mTOR, U2AF plasticity, and histone biogenesis will be dissected. A kinase(s) that controls the U2AF plasticity will be identified. Also, the mechanism by which the U2AF plasticity programs alternative splicing and alternative polyadenylation will be delineated. Finally, the outcome of mTOR-U2AF plasticity-mediated alternative polyadenylation in the histone biogenesis will be examined. Together, this project will advance the understanding of transcriptome programming by mTOR- coordinated U2AF plasticity and suggest mechanistic cascades that communicate extracellular/cellular environments to gene expression programs. It will also challenge a current model of U2AF1 mutations in cancer pathogenesis. Moreover, this project will establish a link between mTOR and histone biogenesis through U2AF plasticity.
mTOR-regulated U2AF plasticity and alternative polyadenylation PROJECT NARRATIVE U2AF (U2 auxiliary factor, comprised of U2AF1 and U2AF2) is an essential splicing factor and functions in the fundamental process of gene expression. Despite extensive studies on their role, it is not well understood how this constitutive heterodimer functions in both regulatory and conventional splicing. This proposal will reveal that U2AF has a mTOR-regulated plasticity and this U2AF plasticity is a key element in regulated transcriptome reprogramming, which will elevate our level of understanding on U2AF-mediated regulated transcriptome programming.
| Chang, Jae-Woong; Zhang, Wei; Yeh, Hsin-Sung et al. (2018) An integrative model for alternative polyadenylation, IntMAP, delineates mTOR-modulated endoplasmic reticulum stress response. Nucleic Acids Res 46:5996-6008 |
| Chang, Jae Woong; Yeh, Hsin Sung; Yong, Jeongsik (2017) Alternative Polyadenylation in Human Diseases. Endocrinol Metab (Seoul) 32:413-421 |
| Lee, Jung-Hee; Park, Seon-Joo; Kim, Seok Won et al. (2017) c-Fos-dependent miR-22 targets MDC1 and regulates DNA repair in terminally differentiated cells. Oncotarget 8:48204-48221 |
| Yeh, Hsin-Sung; Yong, Jeongsik (2016) Alternative Polyadenylation of mRNAs: 3'-Untranslated Region Matters in Gene Expression. Mol Cells 39:281-5 |
