NF-Y is a trimeric pioneer Transcription Factor (TF) whose target sequence -the CCAAT box- is present in ~25% of mammalian promoters. We reconstruct the phylogenetic history of the regulatory NF-YA subunit in vertebrates. We find that in addition to the remarkable conservation of the subunits-interaction and DNA-binding parts, the Transcriptional Activation Domain (TAD) is also conserved (>90% identity among bony vertebrates). We infer the phylogeny of the alternatively spliced exon-3 and partial splicing events of exon-7 -7N and 7C- revealing independent clade-specific losses of these regions. These isoforms shape the TAD. Absence of exon3 in basal deuterostomes, cartilaginous fishes and hagfish, but not in lampreys, suggests that the "short" isoform is primordial, with emergence of exon-3 in chordates. Exon 7N was present in the vertebrate common ancestor, while 7C is a molecular innovation of teleost fishes. RNA-seq analysis in several species confirms expression of all these isoforms. We identify 3 blocks of amino acids in the TAD shared across deuterostomes, yet structural predictions and sequence analyses suggest an evolutionary drive for maintenance of an Intrinsically Disordered Region -IDR- within the TAD. Overall, these data help reconstruct the logic for alternative splicing of this essential eukaryotic TF.

Phylogeny of NF-YA trans-activation splicing isoforms in vertebrate evolution / A. Bernardini, A. Gallo, N. Gnesutta, D. Dolfini, R. Mantovani. - In: GENOMICS. - ISSN 0888-7543. - 114:4(2022 Jul). [10.1016/j.ygeno.2022.110390]

Phylogeny of NF-YA trans-activation splicing isoforms in vertebrate evolution

A. Bernardini
Primo
;
A. Gallo
Secondo
;
N. Gnesutta;D. Dolfini
Penultimo
;
R. Mantovani
Ultimo
2022

Abstract

NF-Y is a trimeric pioneer Transcription Factor (TF) whose target sequence -the CCAAT box- is present in ~25% of mammalian promoters. We reconstruct the phylogenetic history of the regulatory NF-YA subunit in vertebrates. We find that in addition to the remarkable conservation of the subunits-interaction and DNA-binding parts, the Transcriptional Activation Domain (TAD) is also conserved (>90% identity among bony vertebrates). We infer the phylogeny of the alternatively spliced exon-3 and partial splicing events of exon-7 -7N and 7C- revealing independent clade-specific losses of these regions. These isoforms shape the TAD. Absence of exon3 in basal deuterostomes, cartilaginous fishes and hagfish, but not in lampreys, suggests that the "short" isoform is primordial, with emergence of exon-3 in chordates. Exon 7N was present in the vertebrate common ancestor, while 7C is a molecular innovation of teleost fishes. RNA-seq analysis in several species confirms expression of all these isoforms. We identify 3 blocks of amino acids in the TAD shared across deuterostomes, yet structural predictions and sequence analyses suggest an evolutionary drive for maintenance of an Intrinsically Disordered Region -IDR- within the TAD. Overall, these data help reconstruct the logic for alternative splicing of this essential eukaryotic TF.
Alternative splicing; Evolution; Glutamine-rich; Intrinsically disordered region; NFYA; Transactivation domain; Transcription factor; Alternative Splicing; Animals; Evolution, Molecular; Fishes; Mammals; Phylogeny; Promoter Regions, Genetic; Protein Isoforms; Transcription Factors; Vertebrates
Settore BIO/18 - Genetica
Settore BIO/10 - Biochimica
lug-2022
16-mag-2022
Article (author)
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
Bernardini_2022_Genomics.pdf

accesso aperto

Tipologia: Publisher's version/PDF
Dimensione 6.21 MB
Formato Adobe PDF
6.21 MB Adobe PDF Visualizza/Apri
Pubblicazioni consigliate

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/938830
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? 2
  • Scopus 4
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 4
social impact