Biology subjects

Dziubek, A.

Publications and source records attributed to Dziubek, A..

4 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

Argonaute proteins regulate the timing of the spermatogenic transcriptional program

Argonaute proteins are best known for their role in microRNA-mediated post-transcriptional gene silencing. Here, we show that AGO3 and AGO4, but not AGO2, localize to the sex chromatin of pachytene spermatocytes where they are required for transcriptional silencing of XY-linked genes, known as Meiotic Sex Chromosome Inactivation (MSCI). Using an Ago413-/- mouse, we show that AGO3 and AGO4 are key regulators of spermatogenesis, orchestrating expression of meiosis-related genes during prophase I while maintaining silencing of spermiogenesis genes. Premature overexpression of spermiogenesis genes during prophase I in Ago413-/- mice results in subfertility, altered sperm morphology and reduced fertilization capability. We also identify BRG1, a BAF complex subunit, as an AGO3 interactor. Loss of AGO3 and AGO4 results in increased BRG1 in spermatocytes, suggesting that AGO3 aids in removing BRG1 from the XY chromatin to achieve MSCI and demonstrating a meiotic role for AGO3 in transcriptional control through the chromatin remodeling machinery.

developmental biology↗

bioRxiv2023

A TOPBP1 Allele Causing Male Infertility Uncouples XY Silencing Dynamics From Sex Body Formation

Meiotic sex chromosome inactivation (MSCI) is a critical feature of meiotic prophase I progression in males. While the ATR kinase and its activator TOPBP1 are key drivers of MSCI within the specialized sex body (SB) domain of the nucleus, how they promote silencing remains unclear given their multifaceted meiotic functions that also include DNA repair, chromosome synapsis and SB formation. Here we report a novel mutant mouse harboring mutations in the TOPBP1-BRCT5 domain. Topbp1B5/B5 males are infertile, with impaired MSCI despite displaying grossly normal events of early prophase I, including synapsis and SB formation. Specific ATR-dependent events are disrupted including phosphorylation and localization of the RNA:DNA helicase Senataxin. Topbp1B5/B5 spermatocytes initiate, but cannot maintain ongoing, MSCI. These findings reveal a non-canonical role for the ATR-TOPBP1 signaling axis in MSCI dynamics at advanced stages in pachynema and establish the first mouse mutant that separates ATR signaling and MSCI from SB formation.

cell biology↗

bioRxiv2020

A rapid, sensitive, scalable method for Precision Run-On sequencing (PRO-seq)

Tracking active transcription with the nuclear run-on (NRO) assays has been instrumental in uncovering mechanisms of gene regulation. The coupling of NROs with high-throughput sequencing has facilitated the discovery of previously unannotated or undetectable RNA classes genome-wide. Precision run-on sequencing (PRO-seq) is a run-on variant that maps polymerase active sites with nucleotide or near-nucleotide resolution. One main drawback to this and many other nascent RNA detection methods is the somewhat intimidating multi-day workflow associated with creating the libraries suitable for high-throughput sequencing. Here, we present an improved PRO-seq protocol where many of the enzymatic steps are carried out while the biotinylated NRO RNA remains bound to streptavidin-coated magnetic beads. These adaptations reduce time, sample loss and RNA degradation, and we demonstrate that the resulting libraries are of the same quality as libraries generated using the original published protocol. The assay is also more sensitive which permits reproducible, high-quality libraries from 104-105 cells instead of 106-107. Altogether, the improved protocol is more tractable allows for nascent RNA profiling from small samples, such as rare samples or FACS sorted cell populations.

genomics↗

bioRxiv2019

Nascent RNA sequencing of peripheral blood leukocytes reveal gene expression diversity

Nascent RNA sequencing is a powerful method to measure transcription with high resolution, sensitivity, and directional information, which gives distinctive information about transcription from other methods such as chromatin immunoprecipitation or mRNA sequencing. We present an integrated package of nascent RNA-seq methods - ultrafast Precision Run On (uPRO) combined with computational procedures to discover cell type specific enhancers, promoters, and transcription factor networks. uPRO is composed of adaptor ligation and reverse transcription reactions, which is reduced to a one-day procedure and makes nascent RNA-seq more feasible and flexible for a widespread use. We generated genome-wide profiles of nascent transcription in human blood derived cell lines and clinical samples of ~1 ml of untreated whole blood. We integrated these data into deep learning and hierarchical network analysis to detect enhancers, promoters, and co-expression networks to define cell-type specific transcription programs. We found conservation of position but variation of expression in cell type specific enhancers and transcription start sites. Transcription factors (TFs) such as TCF-3 and OCT1 were pivotally associated with TF-enhancer-gene networks across cell types. Intriguingly, we also discovered that TFs related to cell stress and inflammation - such as SRF, ATF, CHOP, and NF-kB - are associated with inter-individual variation of leukocyte transcription in whole blood. Our integration of experimental and computational nascent RNA methods will provide an efficient strategy to identify specific transcriptional programs, both in cell-type and patient/disease-associated, with minimal sample requirements.

molecular biology↗