Synthese und Anwendungen von modifizierten Nukleosiden und RNA-Nukleotiden

As central components of life, DNA and RNA encode the genetic information. However, RNA performs several functions that exceed the competences stated in the ‘central dogma of life‘. RNAs undergo extensive post-transcriptional processing like chemical modifications. Among all classes of RNA, tRNAs are the most extensively modified. Their modifications are chemically diverse and vary from simple methylations (e.g. m3C, m6A) to more complex residues, like isopentenyl group (e.g. i6A, hypermodifications: e.g. ms2i6A) or even amino acids (e.g. t6A). Depending on their location within the overall structure, modifications can have an impact on tRNA stability and structure, as well as affinity for the ribosome and translation efficiency and fidelity. Given the importance of tRNA modifications new tools are needed for their detection and to study their recognition by proteins and enzymatic transformations. The chemical synthesis of these naturally occurring tRNA modifications as phosphoramidite building blocks is a prerequisite to incorporate the desired modification via solid-phase synthesis into oligonucleotides. With the help of the m3C, (ms2)i6A, and t6A oligonucleotides, the importance and impact of tRNA modifications was investigated in this thesis. To this end, the role of METTL8 as the methyltransferase responsible for the installation of the methyl group at C32 for mt-tRNAThr and mt-tRNASer(UCN) was resolved. Thereby, the respective adenosine modification on position 37 is essential for the effectiveness of the enzyme. Besides, by means of NMR analysis, CD spectroscopy, thermal denaturation experiments, and native page separation, the impact of m3C32 on the structure of the tRNA ASLs was shown. The modification appeared to fine-tune the tRNA structure to optimize mitochondrial translation. To investigate the regulation of the dynamic modification pathway of m3C, demethylation assays were performed with the modified tRNA-ASLs and the (α-KG)- and Fe(II)-dependent dioxygenase ALKBH1 and ALKHB3. A demethylation activity of ALKBH3 on the mt-tRNAs was observed, even though it has so far only been described as a cytoplasmic enzyme. Whether this is physiologically relevant and ALKBH3 present a mitochondrial localization needs further validation. In addition, ALKBH1 was confirmed to not be able to demethylate m3C on mt-tRNAs, but indications for a deprenylation and exonuclease activity were found. Furthermore, the aforementioned naturally occurring modifications were utilized to find analytical tools that can determine the modification levels by DNAzymes, which cleave RNA in the presence of a specific modification. Selective DNA enzymes for i6A, as well as the three cytidine isomers m3C, m4C, and m5C have been identified and characterized. Besides the naturally occurring tRNA modifications, the investigation on artificially modified nucleosides is also part of this thesis. Nucleosides with specific properties for desired applications can be created by modifying the scaffold of native nucleosides. During the pandemic, the potential of antiviral nucleoside analogues was highlighted for the treatment of the SARS-CoV-2 infection. For examinations of the potential drug-candidate Molnupiravir, the N4-hydroxycytidine phosphoramidite building block was synthesized and incorporated into several RNA oligonucleotides. A two-step model for the NHC-induced mutagenesis of SARS-CoV-2 was proposed based on RNA elongation, thermal denaturation, and cryo-EM experiments using the modified RNA strands with the recombinant SARS-CoV-2 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. Two tautomeric forms of NHC enable base pairing with guanosine in the amino and with adenosine in the imino form, leading to error catastrophe after the incorporation into viral RNA. These findings were further corroborated by thermal melting curve analysis and NMR spectroscopy of the NHC-containing Dickerson Drew sequence. In conclusion, the anti-amino form in the NHC-G base pair was assigned by NMR analysis using a 15N-labeld NHC building block incorporated into the Dickerson Drew sequence. This thesis also addressed the synthesis of a 7-deazaguanosine crosslinker with a masked aldehyde as a diol linker for investigations of DNA-protein interactions. The diol functional group can be unmasked to release the reactive aldehyde, which can specifically form a covalent bond with amino acids Lys or Arg within the protein complex condensin. The incorporation of the synthesized phosphoramidite and triphosphate building blocks were shown and the functionality of the PCR product containing the crosslinker was demonstrated by oxidation and the formation of a covalent bond with a fluorescein label. The development of assays that detect changes in this methylation pattern of m6A could provide new insights into important biological processes. In the last project of this thesis, the influence of RNA methylation states on the structural properties of RNA was analyzed and a fluorescent nucleoside analog (8-vinyladenosine) as molecular tools for such assays was developed. Initial experiments with the fluorescent nucleoside analog N6-methyl-8-vinyladenosine (m6v8A) were performed and revealed a strong fluorescence enhancement of the free m6v8A nucleoside by the installation of the vinyl moiety at position 8. Overall, this thesis contributes to various research topics regarding the application of naturally occurring and artificial nucleoside analogues. Starting with the chemical synthesis of RNA and DNA modifications, this thesis has unveiled several open questions regarding the dynamic (de-)methylation pathway of m3C and the mechanism of action of molnupiravir through in-depth analysis and provided the basis for further investigations of the protein complex condensin, and a new fluorescent nucleoside analog m6v8A.Als zentrale Bestandteile des Lebens kodieren DNA und RNA die genetische Information. Die RNA erfüllt jedoch noch mehr Funktionen, die über die im 'zentralen Dogma des Lebens' ge-nannten Kompetenzen hinausreichen. RNA Stränge werden posttranskriptionell verändert, wie zum Beispiel durch chemische Modifikationen. tRNAs sind unter allen RNA-Klassen am umfangreichsten und chemisch vielfältigsten modifiziert. Ihre Modifikationen reichen von ein-fachen Methylierungen (z. B. m3C oder m6A) bis hin zu komplexeren Resten, wie einer Iso-pentenyl-Gruppe (i6A, Hypermodifikation: z. B. ms2i6A) oder sogar Aminosäuren (t6A). Ab-hängig von ihrer Position innerhalb der tRNA können Modifikationen Einfluss auf die tRNA Stabilität und Struktur, sowie die Affinität zu den Ribosomen und die Translationseffizienz und Genauigkeit, haben. Angesichts dieser Bedeutung von tRNA-Modifikationen werden zum einen Nachweisemethoden zur Detektion von Modifikationen, als auch Werkzeuge zur Unter-suchung der Erkennungsmechanismen spezifischer Proteine und deren enzymatischer Funk-tionalisierung benötigt. Dabei ist die chemische Synthese dieser natürlichen Modifikationen als Phosphoramidit-Bausteine die Voraussetzung, um die gewünschte Modifikation überhaupt erst über Festpha-sensynthese in Oligonukleotide einbauen zu können. Mit Hilfe der m3C-, (ms2)i6A- und t6A-modifizierten Oligonukleotide wurde die Bedeutung dieser tRNA-Modifikationen für die Struk-tur und Funktionalität des jeweiligen tRNA Anticodon-Loops (ACL) untersucht. Ein Kapitel dieser Arbeit klärte die tatsächliche Rolle von METTL8 auf. Als Methyltransferase ist das Protein für den Einbau der Methylgruppe an C32 in den mitochondrialen tRNAThr und tRNASer(UCN) verantwortlich, kann dies aber nur bewerkstelligen, wenn zuvor bereits eine ent-sprechende Adenosin-Modifikation an A37 installiert wurde. Außerdem wurde mittels NMR-Analyse, CD-Spektroskopie, Schmelzkurvenanalysen und Gelelektrophorese der Einfluss von m3C32 auf die Struktur der tRNA Anticodon-Stem-Loops (ASLs) gezeigt. Die Modifikation scheint die tRNA-Struktur anzupassen, um die mitochondriale Translation zu optimieren. Um herauszufinden, wie die dynamischen Modifikationswege von m3C reguliert werden, wurden mit den modifizierten tRNA-ASLs und den (α-KG)- und Fe(II)-abhängigen Dio-xygenasen ALKBH1 und ALKHB3 Demethylierungsassays durchgeführt. Obwohl ALKBH3 bisher nur als cytoplasmatisches Enzym bekannt war, konnte es mt-tRNAs demethylieren. Inwiefern diese Aktivität physiologisch relevant ist und ob ALKBH3 vielleicht zusätzlich auch eine mitochond-riale Lokalisierung aufweist, muss noch weiter untersucht werden. Zudem wurde gezeigt, dass ALKBH1 m3C32-modifizierte mt-tRNAs nicht demethylieren kann, es jedoch Hinweise darauf gibt, dass ALKBH1 zusätzlich zu der bereits beschriebenen Aktivität der Oxidation von m5C zu f5C in mitochondrialer tRNAMet eine noch näher zu untersuchende Deprenylierungs- und Exonuklease-Aktivität besitzt. Außerdem wurden die zuvor erwähnten natürlichen Modifikationen verwendet, um DNA-Enzyme als analytische Werkzeuge zur Bestimmung des Modifikationsgrades zu finden. Die Enzyme katalysieren die Spaltung von RNA, falls eine spezielle Modifikation vorhanden ist. Es wurden selektive DNA-Enzyme für i6A sowie die drei Cytidin-Isomere m3C, m4C und m5C identifiziert und charakterisiert. Neben den posttranskriptionalen Modifikationen war auch die Untersuchung künstlich modifi-zierter Nukleoside ein Teil dieser Arbeit. Das Gerüst nativer Nukleoside kann so modifiziert werden, dass die Nukleoside spezifischen Eigenschaften für die gewünschte Anwendung erhalten. Während der Pandemie wurde antiviralen Nukleosidanaloga zur Behandlung der SARS-CoV-2-Infektion eine große Bedeutung zugeschrieben. Um den potenziellen Arzneimittelkandidaten Molnupiravir zu untersuchen, wurde N4-Hydroxycytidin als Phosphoramidit-Baustein syntheti-siert und in mehrere RNA-Oligonukleotide mittels Festphasensynthese eingebaut. Basierend auf den Ergebnissen von RNA-Elongations-, thermischen Denaturierungs- und Cryo-EM-Experimenten, bei denen die modifizierten RNA-Stränge und die rekombinante SARS-CoV-2-RNA-abhängige RNA-Polymerase verwendet wurde, wurde ein zweistufiges Modell für die NHC-induzierte Mutagenese von SARS-CoV-2 postuliert. Dieser Mechanismus wird durch die zwei tautomeren Formen von NHC ermöglicht, wobei die Amino-Form ein Basenpaar mit Guanosin bildet und die Imino-Form mit Adenosin basenpaaren kann. Nach dem Einbau in die virale RNA kommt es zu Mutationen und zur sogenannten Fehlerkatastrophe. Diese Er-kenntnisse wurden durch thermische Schmelzkurvenanalyse und NMR-Spektroskopie der NHC-haltigen Dickerson Drew Sequenz ergänzt. Mit Hilfe eines 15N-markierten NHC-Bausteins, der in die Dickerson Drew Sequenz eingebaut wurde, konnte schließlich die Anti-Amino Form in dem NHC-G Basenpaar durch NMR-Analyse eindeutig nachgewiesen wer-den. Ein weiteres Forschungsprojekt dieser Arbeit befasste sich mit der Synthese eines 7-Deazaguanosin-Crosslinkers, welcher einen geschützten Aldehyd als Diol-Linker enthielt. Die-ser Crosslinker sollte zur Untersuchung von DNA-Protein-Interaktionen dienen. Der Einbau der synthetisierten Phosphoramidit- und Triphosphat-Bausteine konnte erfolgreich durchge-führt werden und die Funktionalität des PCR-Produktes, welches den Crosslinker enthielt, wurde durch Oxidation und die Bildung einer kovalenten Bindung mit einem Fluorescein-Label demonstriert. Der letzte Teil dieser Arbeit beschäftigte sich mit der der Entwicklung eines Assays, um Ver-änderungen im Methylierungslevel von m6A nachweisen zu können. Dies könnte neue Einbli-cke in wichtige biologische Prozesse liefern. Daher wurde im letzten Projekt der Einfluss von RNA-Methylierungszuständen auf die strukturellen Eigenschaften von RNA untersucht und dafür ein fluoreszierendes Nukleosidanalog (8-Vinyladenosin) als molekulares Werkzeug ent-wickelt. Die ersten Experimente mit dem Nukleosidanalog N6-Methyl-8-Vinyladenosin (m6v8A) zeigten einen deutlichen Fluoreszenzanstieg durch den Einbau der Vinyleinheit an Position 8 im Vergleich zu dem nicht fluoreszierenden m6A. Insgesamt trägt diese Arbeit zu verschiedenen Forschungsthemen bezüglich der Anwendung von natürlich vorkommenden und künstlichen Nukleosidanaloga bei. Ausgehend von der chemischen Synthese von RNA- und DNA-Modifikationen hat diese Arbeit durch eingehende Analysen mehrere offene Fragestellungen zum dynamischen (De-)Methylierungsweg von m3C und zum Wirkmechanismus von Molnupiravir aufgedeckt und die Grundlage für weitere Untersuchungen des Proteinkomplexes Condensin und eines neuen fluoreszierenden Nukle-osidanalogons m6v8A geschaffen

N6^6-Isopentenyladenosine in RNA Determines the Cleavage Site of Endonuclease Deoxyribozymes

RNA-cleaving deoxyribozymes can serve as selective sensors and catalysts to examine the modification state of RNA. However, site-specific endonuclease deoxyribozymes that selectively cleave posttranscriptionally modified RNA are extremely rare and their specificity over unmodified RNA is low. In this study, we report that the native tRNA modification N$^6$-isopentenyladenosine (i$^6$A) strongly enhances the specificity and has the power to reconfigure the active site of an RNA-cleaving deoxyribozyme. Using in vitro selection, we identified a DNA enzyme that cleaves i$^6$A-modified RNA at least 2500-fold faster than unmodified RNA. Another deoxyribozyme shows unique and unprecedented behaviour by shifting its cleavage site in the presence of the i$^6$A RNA modification. Together with deoxyribozymes that are strongly inhibited by i$^6$A, these results highlight intricate ways of modulating the catalytic activity of DNA by posttranscriptional RNA modifications

RNA-Cleaving Deoxyribozymes Differentiate Methylated Cytidine Isomers in RNA

Deoxyribozymes are emerging as modification-specific endonucleases for the analysis of epigenetic RNA modifications. Here, we report RNA-cleaving deoxyribozymes that differentially respond to the presence of natural methylated cytidines, 3-methylcytidine (m$^3$C), N$^4$-methylcytidine (m$^4$C), and 5-methylcytidine (m$^5$C), respectively. Using in vitro selection, we found several DNA catalysts, which are selectively activated by only one of the three cytidine isomers, and display 10- to 30-fold accelerated cleavage of their target m$^3$C-, m$^4$C- or m$^5$C-modified RNA. An additional deoxyribozyme is strongly inhibited by any of the three methylcytidines, but effectively cleaves unmodified RNA. The m$^X$C-detecting deoxyribozymes are programmable for the interrogation of natural RNAs of interest, as demonstrated for human mitochondrial tRNAs containing known m$^3$C and m$^5$C sites. The results underline the potential of synthetic functional DNA to shape highly selective active sites

Mechanism of molnupiravir-induced SARS-CoV-2 mutagenesis

Molnupiravir is an orally available antiviral drug candidate currently in phase III trials for the treatment of patients with COVID-19. Molnupiravir increases the frequency of viral RNA mutations and impairs SARS-CoV-2 replication in animal models and in humans. Here, we establish the molecular mechanisms underlying molnupiravir-induced RNA mutagenesis by the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). Biochemical assays show that the RdRp uses the active form of molnupiravir, β-d-$N^4$-hydroxycytidine (NHC) triphosphate, as a substrate instead of cytidine triphosphate or uridine triphosphate. When the RdRp uses the resulting RNA as a template, NHC directs incorporation of either G or A, leading to mutated RNA products. Structural analysis of RdRp–RNA complexes that contain mutagenesis products shows that NHC can form stable base pairs with either G or A in the RdRp active center, explaining how the polymerase escapes proofreading and synthesizes mutated RNA. This two-step mutagenesis mechanism probably applies to various viral polymerases and can explain the broad-spectrum antiviral activity of molnupiravir

N

RNA-cleaving deoxyribozymes can serve as selective sensors and catalysts to examine the modification state of RNA. However, site-specific endonuclease deoxyribozymes that selectively cleave posttranscriptionally modified RNA are extremely rare and their specificity over unmodified RNA is low. In this study, we report that the native tRNA modification N$^6$-isopentenyladenosine (i$^6$A) strongly enhances the specificity and has the power to reconfigure the active site of an RNA-cleaving deoxyribozyme. Using in vitro selection, we identified a DNA enzyme that cleaves i$^6$A-modified RNA at least 2500-fold faster than unmodified RNA. Another deoxyribozyme shows unique and unprecedented behaviour by shifting its cleavage site in the presence of the i$^6$A RNA modification. Together with deoxyribozymes that are strongly inhibited by i$^6$A, these results highlight intricate ways of modulating the catalytic activity of DNA by posttranscriptional RNA modifications

The RNA methyltransferase METTL8 installs m3^3C32_{32} in mitochondrial tRNAsThr/Ser(UCN)^{Thr/Ser(UCN)} to optimise tRNA structure and mitochondrial translation

Modified nucleotides in tRNAs are important determinants of folding, structure and function. Here we identify METTL8 as a mitochondrial matrix protein and active RNA methyltransferase responsible for installing m$^3$C$_{32}$ in the human mitochondrial (mt-)tRNA$^{Thr}$ and mt-tRNA$^{Ser(UCN)}$. METTL8 crosslinks to the anticodon stem loop (ASL) of many mt-tRNAs in cells, raising the question of how methylation target specificity is achieved. Dissection of mttRNA recognition elements revealed U$_{34}$G$_{35}$ and t$^6$A$_{37}$/(ms$^2$)i$^6$A$_{37}$, present concomitantly only in the ASLs of the two substrate mt-tRNAs, as key determinants for METTL8-mediated methylation of C$_{32}$. Several lines of evidence demonstrate the influence of U$_{34}$, G$_{35}$, and the m$^3$C$_{32}$ and t$^6$A$_{37}$/(ms$^2$)i$^6$A$_{37}$ modifications in mt-tRNA$^{Thr/Ser(UCN)}$ on the structure of these mt-tRNAs. Although mt-tRNA$^{Thr/Ser(UCN)}$ lacking METTL8-mediated m$^3$C$_{32}$ are efficiently aminoacylated and associate with mitochondrial ribosomes, mitochondrial translation is mildly impaired by lack of METTL8. Together these results define the cellular targets of METTL8 and shed new light on the role of m$^3$C$_{32}$ within mt-tRNAs

Dense sampling of bird diversity increases power of comparative genomics

Whole-genome sequencing projects are increasingly populating the tree of life and characterizing biodiversity(1-4). Sparse taxon sampling has previously been proposed to confound phylogenetic inference(5), and captures only a fraction of the genomic diversity. Here we report a substantial step towards the dense representation of avian phylogenetic and molecular diversity, by analysing 363 genomes from 92.4% of bird families-including 267 newly sequenced genomes produced for phase II of the Bird 10,000 Genomes (B10K) Project. We use this comparative genome dataset in combination with a pipeline that leverages a reference-free whole-genome alignment to identify orthologous regions in greater numbers than has previously been possible and to recognize genomic novelties in particular bird lineages. The densely sampled alignment provides a single-base-pair map of selection, has more than doubled the fraction of bases that are confidently predicted to be under conservation and reveals extensive patterns of weak selection in predominantly non-coding DNA. Our results demonstrate that increasing the diversity of genomes used in comparative studies can reveal more shared and lineage-specific variation, and improve the investigation of genomic characteristics. We anticipate that this genomic resource will offer new perspectives on evolutionary processes in cross-species comparative analyses and assist in efforts to conserve species. A dataset of the genomes of 363 species from the Bird 10,000 Genomes Project shows increased power to detect shared and lineage-specific variation, demonstrating the importance of phylogenetically diverse taxon sampling in whole-genome sequencing.Peer reviewe

Author Correction: Dense sampling of bird diversity increases power of comparative genomics

In Supplementary Table 1 of this Article, 23 samples (B10K-DU-029-32, B10K-DU-029-33, B10K-DU-029-36 to B10K-DU-029-44, B10K-DU- 029-46, B10K-DU-029-47, B10K-DU-029-49 to B10K-DU-029-53, B10K-DU- 029-75 to B10K-DU-029-77, B10K-DU-029-80, and B10K-DU-030-03; styled in boldface in the revised table) were assigned to the incorrect institution. Supplementary Table 1 has been amended to reflect the correct source institution for these samples, and associated data (tissue, museum ID/source specimen ID, site, state/province, latitude, longitude, date collected and sex) have been updated accordingly. The original table is provided as Supplementary Information to this Amendment, and the original Article has been corrected online