title: A common class of transcripts with 5'-intron depletion, distinct early coding sequence features, andN1-methyladenosine modification.
abstract: Introns are found in 5' untranslated regions (5'UTRs) for 35% of all human transcripts. These 5'UTR introns are not randomly distributed: Genes that encode secreted, membrane-bound and mitochondrial proteins are less likely to have them. Curiously, transcripts lacking 5'UTR introns tend to harbor specific RNA sequence elements in their early coding regions. To model and understand the connection between coding-region sequence and 5'UTR intron status, we developed a classifier that can predict 5'UTR intron status with >80% accuracy using only sequence features in the early coding region. Thus, the classifier identifies transcripts with5' proximal-intron-minus-like-coding regions ("5IM" transcripts). Unexpectedly, we found that the early coding sequence features defining 5IM transcripts are widespread, appearing in 21% of all human RefSeq transcripts. The 5IM class of transcripts is enriched for non-AUG start codons, more extensive secondary structure both preceding the start codon and near the 5' cap, greater dependence on eIF4E for translation, and association with ER-proximal ribosomes. 5IM transcripts are bound by the exon junction complex (EJC) at noncanonical 5' proximal positions. Finally,N1-methyladenosines are specifically enriched in the early coding regions of 5IM transcripts. Taken together, our analyses point to the existence of a distinct 5IM class comprising ∼20% of human transcripts. This class is defined by depletion of 5' proximal introns, presence of specific RNA sequence features associated with low translation efficiency,N1-methyladenosines in the early coding region, and enrichment for noncanonical binding by the EJC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, USA.|Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, USA.
authors.forename: Can
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cenik
authors.affiliation: Donnelly Centre, Department of Molecular Genetics, and Department of Computer Science, University of Toronto, Toronto M5S 3E1, Ontario, Canada.|Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mt. Sinai Hospital, Toronto M5G 1X5, Ontario, Canada.|DataRobot, Inc., Boston, Massachusetts 02109, USA.
authors.forename: Hon Nian
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Chua
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, USA.|Department of Molecular Genetics, Center for RNA Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA.|Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, USA.|RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, USA.
authors.forename: Guramrit
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada.
authors.forename: Abdalla
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Akef
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, USA.
authors.forename: Michael P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Snyder
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada.
authors.forename: Alexander F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Palazzo
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, USA Melissa.Moore@umassmed.edu Fritz.Roth@utoronto.ca.|Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, USA.|RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, USA.
authors.forename: Melissa J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.affiliation: Donnelly Centre, Department of Molecular Genetics, and Department of Computer Science, University of Toronto, Toronto M5S 3E1, Ontario, Canada Melissa.Moore@umassmed.edu Fritz.Roth@utoronto.ca.|Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mt. Sinai Hospital, Toronto M5G 1X5, Ontario, Canada.|Center for Cancer Systems Biology (CCSB), Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston 02215, Massachusetts, USA.|The Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Toronto M5G 1Z8, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Frederick P
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Roth
mesh_terms: D020121:5' Untranslated Regions; D000241:Adenosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D001483:Base Sequence; D018387:Codon, Initiator / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D039561:Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-4E / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005091:Exons; D006801:Humans; D007438:Introns; D016366:Open Reading Frames; D011485:Protein Binding; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D012270:Ribosomes / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017384:Sequence Deletion
chemical_list: D020121:5' Untranslated Regions; D018387:Codon, Initiator; D039561:Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-4E; C002230:1-methyladenosine; D000241:Adenosine
keywords: 5′-UTR introns; N1-methyladenosine; exon junction complex; random forest