GSE127755
NAD tagSeq, a new method for transcriptome-wide identification and quantification of NAD+-capped RNAs, revealed that NAD+-capped RNAs are produced from a large number of protein-coding genes in Arabidopsis
The 5' end of a eukaryotic mRNA generally has a methyl guanosine cap (m7G cap) that not only protects the mRNA from degradation but also mediates almost all other aspects of gene expression. Some RNAs in E. coli, yeast, and mammals were recently found to contain an NAD+ cap at their 5' ends. Here we report development of a new method – NAD tagSeq – for transcriptome-wide identification and quantification of NAD+-capped RNAs (NAD-RNAs). The method uses first an enzymatic reaction and then a click chemistry reaction to label NAD-RNAs with a synthetic RNA tag. The tagged RNA molecules can be enriched and directly sequenced using the Oxford Nanopore sequencing technology. NAD tagSeq not only allows more accurate identification and quantification of NAD-RNAs but can also reveal sequences of whole NAD-RNA transcripts. Using NAD tagSeq, we found that NAD-RNAs in Arabidopsis are mostly produced from a few thousand protein-coding genes, with over 60% of them from fewer than 200 genes. The top 2,000 genes that were found to produce the highest numbers of NAD-RNAs were enriched in the gene ontology terms of responses to oxidative stress and other stresses, photosynthesis, and protein synthesis. For some Arabidopsis genes, over 10% of their transcripts could be NAD-capped. The NAD-RNAs in Arabidopsis have similar overall sequence structures to their canonical m7G-capped mRNAs. The identification and quantification of NAD-RNAs and revealing their sequence features provide essential steps toward understanding functions of NAD-RNAs. Overall design: The identification and quantification of NAD-RNAs in Arabidopsis thaliana ADPRC = adenosine diphosphate ribosylcyclase