Dynamic Regulation of RNA Structure in Mammalian Cells

Abstract

RNA structure is intimately connected to each step of gene expression. Recent advances have enabled transcriptome-wide maps of RNA secondary structure, termed RNA structuromes. However, previous whole-cell analyses lacked the resolution to unravel the dynamic regulation of RNA structure across subcellular states. Here we reveal the RNA structuromes in three compartments -- chromatin, nucleoplasm and cytoplasm. The cytotopic structuromes substantially expand RNA structural information, and enable detailed investigation of the central role of RNA structure in linking transcription, translation, and RNA decay. Through comparative structure analysis, we develop a resource to visualize the interplay of RNA-protein interactions, RNA chemical modifications, and RNA structure, and predict both direct and indirect reader proteins of RNA modifications. We validate the novel role of the RNA binding protein LIN28A as an N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification \"anti-reader\". Our results highlight the dynamic nature of RNA structures and its functional significance in gene regulation.