Cryo-Electron Tomography of Reconstituted Biomolecular Condensates.

The assembly of membraneless compartments by phase separation has recently been recognized as a mechanism for spatial and temporal organization of biomolecules within the cell. The functions of such mesoscale assemblies, termed biomolecular condensates, depend on networks of multivalent interactions between proteins, their structured and disordered domains, and commonly also include nucleic acids. Cryo-electron tomography is an ideal tool to investigate the three-dimensional architecture of such pleomorphic interaction networks at nanometer resolution and thus form inferences about function. However, preparation of suitable cryo-electron microscopy samples of condensates may be prone to protein denaturation, low retention of material on the sample carrier, and contamination associated with cryo-sample preparation and transfers. Here, we describe a series of protocols designed to obtain high-quality cryo-electron tomography data of biomolecular condensates reconstituted in vitro. These include critical screening by light microscopy, cryo-fixation by plunge freezing, sample loading into an electron microscope operated at liquid nitrogen temperature, data collection, processing of the data into three-dimensional tomograms, and their interpretation.

Liquid-to-solid phase transition of oskar ribonucleoprotein granules is essential for their function in Drosophila embryonic development.

Asymmetric localization of oskar ribonucleoprotein (RNP) granules to the oocyte posterior is crucial for abdominal patterning and germline formation in the Drosophila embryo. We show that oskar RNP granules in the oocyte are condensates with solid-like physical properties. Using purified oskar RNA and scaffold proteins Bruno and Hrp48, we confirm in vitro that oskar granules undergo a liquid-to-solid phase transition. Whereas the liquid phase allows RNA incorporation, the solid phase precludes incorporation of additional RNA while allowing RNA-dependent partitioning of client proteins. Genetic modification of scaffold granule proteins or tethering the intrinsically disordered region of human fused in sarcoma (FUS) to oskar mRNA allowed modulation of granule material properties in vivo. The resulting liquid-like properties impaired oskar localization and translation with severe consequences on embryonic development. Our study reflects how physiological phase transitions shape RNA-protein condensates to regulate the localization and expression of a maternal RNA that instructs germline formation.

Target-Dependent Coordinated Biogenesis of Secondary MicroRNAs by miR-146a Balances Macrophage Activation Processes.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) repress protein expression by binding to the target mRNAs. Exploring whether the expression of one miRNA can regulate the abundance and activity of other miRNAs, we noted the coordinated biogenesis of miRNAs in activated macrophages. miRNAs with higher numbers of binding sites (the "primary" miRNAs) induce expression of other miRNAs ("secondary" miRNAs) having binding sites on the 3' untranslated region (UTR) of common target mRNAs. miR-146a-5p, in activated macrophages, acts as a "primary" miRNA that coordinates biogenesis of "secondary" miR-125b, miR-21, or miR-142-3p to target new sets of mRNAs to balance the immune responses. During coordinated biogenesis, primary miRNA drives the biogenesis of secondary miRNA in a target mRNA- and Dicer1 activity-dependent manner. The coordinated biogenesis of miRNAs was observed across different cell types. The target-dependent coordinated miRNA biogenesis also ensures a cumulative mode of action of primary and secondary miRNAs on the secondary target mRNAs. Interestingly, using the "primary" miR-146a-5p-specific inhibitor, we could inhibit the target-dependent biogenesis of secondary miRNAs that can stop the miRNA-mediated buffering of cytokine expression and inflammatory response occurring in activated macrophages. Computational analysis suggests the prevalence of coordinated biogenesis of miRNAs also in other contexts in human and in mouse.

Retrograde trafficking of Argonaute 2 acts as a rate-limiting step for de novo miRNP formation on endoplasmic reticulum-attached polysomes in mammalian cells.

microRNAs are short regulatory RNAs in metazoan cells. Regulation of miRNA activity and abundance is evident in human cells where availability of target messages can influence miRNA biogenesis by augmenting the Dicer1-dependent processing of precursors to mature microRNAs. Requirement of subcellular compartmentalization of Ago2, the key component of miRNA repression machineries, for the controlled biogenesis of miRNPs is reported here. The process predominantly happens on the polysomes attached with the endoplasmic reticulum for which the subcellular Ago2 trafficking is found to be essential. Mitochondrial tethering of endoplasmic reticulum and its interaction with endosomes controls Ago2 availability. In cells with depolarized mitochondria, miRNA biogenesis gets impaired, which results in lowering of de novo-formed mature miRNA levels and accumulation of miRNA-free Ago2 on endosomes that fails to interact with Dicer1 and to traffic back to endoplasmic reticulum for de novo miRNA loading. Thus, mitochondria by sensing the cellular context regulates Ago2 trafficking at the subcellular level, which acts as a rate-limiting step in miRNA biogenesis process in mammalian cells.

Target mRNA-Driven Biogenesis of Cognate MicroRNAs In Vitro.

miRNAs are 20-22 nucleotide long noncoding RNAs that act as post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression controlling more than half of protein coding genes in humans. Being the critical modulators of the mRNA translation process, biogenesis, function, and turnover of these small RNAs are tightly regulated in cells. We have reported that target mRNAs induce increased biogenesis of cognate miRNAs from pre-miRNAs by increased activity of Ago-associated Dicer endonuclease that processes precursor miRNAs to their mature form. In the current chapter, we discuss how target mRNA-driven RISC loading can be monitored in vitro using affinity-purified miRISC or recombinant AGO2 and DICER1 proteins and scoring the processivity of AGO2-associated DICER1 in vitro.

Spatiotemporal Uncoupling of MicroRNA-Mediated Translational Repression and Target RNA Degradation Controls MicroRNP Recycling in Mammalian Cells.

MicroRNA (miRNA)-mediated repression controls expression of more than half of protein-coding genes in metazoan animals. Translation repression is associated with target mRNA degradation initiated by decapping and deadenylation of the repressed mRNAs. Earlier evidence suggests the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) as the site where microRNPs (miRNPs) interact with their targets before translation repression sets in, but the subcellular location of subsequent degradation of miRNA-repressed messages is largely unidentified. Here, we explore the subcellular distribution of essential components of degradation machineries of miRNA-targeted mRNAs. We have noted that interaction of target mRNAs with AGO2 protein on the ER precedes the relocalization of repressed messages to multivesicular bodies (MVBs). The repressed messages subsequently get deadenylated, lose their interaction with AGO2, and become decapped. Blocking maturation of endosomes to late endosome and MVBs by targeting the endosomal protein HRS uncouples miRNA-mediated translation repression from target RNA degradation. HRS is also targeted by the intracellular parasite Leishmania donovani, which curtails the HRS level in infected cells to prevent uncoupling of mRNA-AGO2 interaction, preventing degradation of translationally repressed messages, and thus stops recycling of miRNPs preengaged in repression.

Target-dependent biogenesis of cognate microRNAs in human cells.

Extensive research has established how miRNAs regulate target mRNAs by translation repression and/or endonucleolytic degradation in metazoans. However, information related to the effect of target mRNA on biogenesis and stability of corresponding miRNAs in animals is limited. Here we report regulated biogenesis of cognate miRNAs by their target mRNAs. Enhanced pre-miRNA processing by AGO-associated DICER1 contributes to this increased miRNP formation. The processed miRNAs are loaded onto AGO2 to form functionally competent miRISCs both in vivo and also in a cell-free in vitro system. Thus, we identify an additional layer of posttranscriptional regulation that helps the cell to maintain requisite levels of mature forms of respective miRNAs by modulating their processing in a target-dependent manner, a process happening for miR-122 during stress reversal in human hepatic cells.

Polysome arrest restricts miRNA turnover by preventing exosomal export of miRNA in growth-retarded mammalian cells.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are tiny posttranscriptional regulators of gene expression in metazoan cells, where activity and abundance of miRNAs are tightly controlled. Regulated turnover of these regulatory RNAs is important to optimize cellular response to external stimuli. We report that the stability of mature miRNAs increases inversely with cell proliferation, and the increased number of microribonucleoproteins (miRNPs) in growth-restricted mammalian cells are in turn associated with polysomes. This heightened association of miRNA with polysomes also elicits reduced degradation of target mRNAs and impaired extracellular export of miRNA via exosomes. Overall polysome sequestration contributes to an increase of cellular miRNA levels but without an increase in miRNA activity. Therefore miRNA activity and turnover can be controlled by subcellular distribution of miRNPs that may get differentially regulated as a function of cell growth in mammalian cells.

A transient reversal of miRNA-mediated repression controls macrophage activation.

In mammalian macrophages, the expression of a number of cytokines is regulated by miRNAs. Upon macrophage activation, proinflammatory cytokine mRNAs are translated, although the expression of miRNAs targeting these mRNAs remains largely unaltered. We show that there is a transient reversal of miRNA-mediated repression during the early phase of the inflammatory response in macrophages, which leads to the protection of cytokine mRNAs from miRNA-mediated repression. This derepression occurs through Ago2 phosphorylation, which results in its impaired binding to miRNAs and to the corresponding target mRNAs. Macrophages expressing a mutant, non-phosphorylatable AGO2--which remains bound to miRNAs during macrophage activation--have a weakened inflammatory response and fail to prevent parasite invasion. These findings highlight the relevance of the transient relief of miRNA repression for macrophage function.

Leishmania donovani targets Dicer1 to downregulate miR-122, lower serum cholesterol, and facilitate murine liver infection.

Leishmania donovani causes visceral leishmaniasis (VL) where the parasite infects and resides inside liver and spleen tissue macrophages. Given the abnormal lipid profile observed in VL patients, we examined the status of serum lipids in an experimental murine model of VL. The murine VL liver displayed altered expression of lipid metabolic genes, many of which are direct or indirect targets of the liver-specific microRNA-122. Concomitant reduction of miR-122 expression was observed in VL liver. High serum cholesterol caused resistance to L. donovani infection, while downregulation of miR-122 is coupled with low serum cholesterol in VL mice. Exosomes secreted by the infective parasites caused reduction in miR-122 activity in hepatic cells. Leishmania surface glycoprotein gp63, a Zn-metalloprotease, targets pre-miRNA processor Dicer1 to prevent miRNP formation in L. donovani-interacting hepatic cells. Conversely, restoration of miR-122 or Dicer1 levels in VL mouse liver increased serum cholesterol and reduced liver parasite burden.