Biology subjects

Coomer, A. O.

Publications and source records attributed to Coomer, A. O..

2 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

An RNA-centric atlas of human cell cycle regulation

Cell cycle progression is orchestrated by protein networks coordinating cell growth and division, yet the role of RNA-mediated mechanisms remains underexplored. Here, we define an RNA-centric landscape of human cell cycle control using palbociclib-synchronised normal diploid cells, profiling long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), transposable elements (TEs), alternative splicing (AS), and RNA-binding proteins (RBPs). We identify 104 cell cycle-regulated lncRNAs and validate lncRNA ENSG00000230615, whose perturbation alters cell cycle progression and downregulates neighbouring KLF17. Across the transcriptome, 297 TE loci exhibit differential expression dynamics during the cell cycle, with Alu elements upregulated during the G1-to-S transition. Cell-cycle-dependent AS changes affect 598 genes, with alternative 5' splice sites showing the largest shift in usage at the G1-to-S transition. Furthermore, we show that cytokinesis proteins act as non-canonical RBPs with RNA-dependent stability. This study provides a comprehensive resource on RNA-based cell cycle control and highlights an underappreciated layer of regulation mediated by RNA mechanisms.

cell biology↗

bioRxiv2025

The RNA-binding protein RSRC2 promotes mitotic fidelity by interacting with the lncRNA C1QTNF1-AS1

Mitotic fidelity depends on proper chromosome alignment at the spindle equator, a process known as chromosome congression, driven by well-established protein networks. Whereas RNA-binding proteins and noncoding RNAs have been implicated in cell division, their interplay during this process remains unknown. Here, we discover that RSRC2, an arginine/serine-rich RNA-binding protein, plays an essential role in cell division by interacting with the long non-coding RNA C1QTNF1-AS1. The loss of either RSRC2 or C1QTNF1-AS1 results in defects in chromosome congression and mitotic progression. We show that RSRC2 interacts with distinct sets of proteins involved in splicing and centrosome biogenesis, contributing to the fidelity of cell division through two different mechanisms: one linked to the splicing of mitotic regulators and the other by localising to mitotic centrosomes for which the interaction with the C1QTNF1-AS1 RNA is required. Our study uncovers RSRC2 as a new regulator of cell division and illustrates how RNA-protein complexes promote error-free mitosis.

cell biology↗