Characterization of LINE-1 reverse transcriptase activity

Dana-Farber Cancer Inst, Boston MA

Investigators

Abstract

Project Summary The objective of this research proposal is to characterize the enzymatic activities of the reverse transcriptase (RT) of the human long interspersed element 1 (LINE-1, L1 RT). LINE-1 sequences constitute 17% of the human genome, and L1 RT activity is responsible for approximately 40% of our genome because it has also led to the proliferation of short interspersed elements (e.g., Alu), and other retroelements. L1 RT activity is also implicated as a driving force behind a variety of human diseases such as macular degeneration, Aicardi- Goutières syndrome, and systemic lupus erythematosus. LINE-1 expression and retrotransposition are commonplace in numerous cancers, including 90-100% of breast, colon, and esophageal cancers, making understanding the basic biochemical activity of L1 RT relevant to public health research. Reverse transcription is key to the ability of LINE-1 to self-propagate in our genome, through a process known as target-primed reverse transcription (TPRT). L1 RT is encoded by the second open reading frame (ORF2) of L1, residing in the protein known as ORF2p. In this proposal, I show that I have isolated the ORF2p RT domain, and that this has RT activity in vitro. I intend to use this protein domain, as well as full-length ORF2p, and L1 RNPs to fully characterize the biochemical and enzymatic properties of L1 RT. In my first Specific Aim, I will characterize its processivity, which is an indication of whether the RT stops and pauses, or whether it keeps going until it reaches the end of a template. I will also measure the fidelity of L1 RT, which defines how faithfully it copies DNA from an RNA template. Finally, I present preliminary sequencing data showing that L1 RT has the unexpected ability to begin processing an RNA template without a primer and propose rigorous experiments to study this feature. In my second Specific Aim, I focus on what happens when L1 RT reaches the end of its template, which may be crucial to understanding how cells repair intermediates of transposition. I present preliminary data showing that L1 RT adds extra nucleotides to the end of its cDNA and propose studies to fully characterize this activity. Additionally, I will study the ability of L1 RT to switch to a different template at the end of one template and whether LINE-1 RT can use modified RNA as a template, such as the pseudouridine found in mRNA vaccines or the naturally occurring N6-methyladenosine modification. This work will advance our understanding of how LINE-1 operates inside cells and how LINE-1 completes its life cycle. The proposed research will have implications for cancer biology and innate immune signaling where L1 RT is increasingly recognized as a DNA damaging agent and trigger for pattern recognition receptors, respectively. Finally, this research will give insight into the evolution of LINE-1-like retroelements that are found across all kingdoms of life.