Farah, G. | Search bioRxiv

bioRxiv2025

Identification and Functional Characterization of Regulatory Variants in DPP9 Associated with COVID-19 Severity

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection leads to a wide-range of clinical outcomes, which have been extensively studied through genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Starting from lead genetic variants associated with COVID-19 infection and severity, we identified a subset of non-coding candidate variants with potential regulatory functions. Using bioinformatics analysis and functional screening in three cell lines, we prioritized two DPP9 variants within a haplotype that increases the risk of severe COVID-19. This haplotype exhibited increased regulatory activity and altered transcription factor binding, suggesting its role in influencing COVID-19 severity through modulation of DPP9 expression in immune and lung cell types. The interest of our study lies in the functional characterization of regulatory variants responsible for the higher levels of DPP9 and lung damage observed in patients with severe COVID-19. These findings advance our understanding of genetic risk factors for COVID-19 and highlight functional SNPs that may guide future therapeutic research.

genetics↗

bioRxiv2024

Epromoters bind key stress-related transcription factors to regulate clusters of stress response genes

Stress insults trigger the rapid and global reprogramming of gene transcription by coordinated recruitment of a limited number of key inducible transcription factors to cis-regulatory elements. Here, we performed a comprehensive analysis of different stress models and observed that co-induced genes are generally located in close genomic proximity. By integrating gene expression and transcription factor binding resources in different stress models, we found an enrichment for clusters whereby only one of the promoters of the cluster recruits the key transcription factors, reminiscent of Epromoters, a type of cis-regulatory elements displaying both promoter and enhancer function. Epromoter-regulated clusters were frequently found irrespectively of the stress or inflammatory response. Predicted Epromoters displayed enhancer activity and regulated clusters of stress-response genes independently of their genomic location. These findings have significant implications for understanding complex gene regulation following the response to acute perturbations. TeaserWhen cells face stress, they undergo rapid changes in gene expression, orchestrated by a handful of key transcription factors. But how do these factors coordinate such a complex response? Our study reveals that "Epromoters"--cis-regulatory elements that combine the functions of both promoters and enhancers help organize stress-response genes into tightly regulated clusters. This discovery not only deepens our understanding of gene regulation in the face of stress but also offers exciting implications for studying inflammation and other acute cellular responses.

genomics↗