Desmoplastic small round cell tumor (DSRCT) is a rare and aggressive soft-tissue malignancy with a poor overall survival and no effective therapeutic options. The tumor is believed to be dependent on the continued activity of the oncogenic EWS-WT1 transcription factor. However, the dependence of the tumor on EWS-WT1 has not been well established. In addition, there are no studies exploring the downstream transcriptional program across multiple cell lines. In this study, we have developed a novel approach to selectively silence EWS-WT1 without impacting either wild-type EWSR1 or WT1. We show a clear dependence of the tumor on EWS-WT1 in two different cell lines, BER and JN-DSCRT-1. In addition, we identify and validate important downstream target pathways commonly dysregulated in other translocation-positive sarcomas, including PRC2, mTOR, and TGFB. Surprisingly, there is striking overlap between the EWS-WT1 and EWS-FLI1 gene signatures, despite the fact that the DNA-binding domain of the fusion proteins, WT1 and FLI1, is structurally unique and classified as different types of transcription factors. This study provides important insight into the biology of this disease relative to other translocation-positive sarcomas, and the basis for the therapeutic targeting of EWS-WT1 for this disease that has limited therapeutic options.

Changes in RNA secondary structure play fundamental roles in the cellular functions of a growing number of non-coding RNAs. This chapter describes NMR-based approaches for characterizing microsecond-to-millisecond changes in RNA secondary structure that are directed toward short-lived and low-populated species often referred to as “excited states”. Compared to larger-scale changes in RNA secondary structure, transitions towards excited states do not require assistance from chaperones, are often orders of magnitude faster, and are localized to a small number of nearby base pairs in and around non-canonical motifs. Here we describe a procedure for characterizing RNA excited states using off-resonance R1ρ NMR relaxation dispersion utilizing low-to-high spin-lock fields (25–3000 Hz). R1ρ NMR relaxation dispersion experiments are used to measure carbon and nitrogen chemical shifts in base and sugar moieties of the excited state. The chemical shift data is then interpreted with the aid of secondary structure prediction to infer potential excited states that feature alternative secondary structures. Candidate structures are then tested by using mutations, single-atom substitutions, or by changing physiochemical conditions, such as pH and temperature, to either stabilize or destabilize the candidate excited state. The resulting chemical shifts of the mutants or under different physiochemical conditions are then compared to those of the ground and excited state. Application is illustrated with a focus on the transactivation response element (TAR) from the human immune deficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), which exists in dynamic equilibrium with at least two distinct excited states.

Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is widely used as a cosolvent to solubilize hydrophobic compounds in RNA-ligand binding assays. Although it is known that high concentrations of DMSO (>75%) can significantly affect RNA structure and folding energetics, a thorough analysis of how lower concentrations (<10%) of DMSO typically used in binding assays affects RNA structure and ligand binding has not been undertaken. Here, we use NMR and 2-aminopurine fluorescence spectroscopy to examine how DMSO affects the structure, dynamics, and ligand binding properties of two flexible hairpin RNAs; the transactivation response element from HIV-1 and bacterial ribosomal A-site. In both cases, 5%-10% DMSO decreased stacking interactions and increased local disorder in non-canonical residues within bulges and loops and resulted in 0.3–4 fold reduction in the measured binding affinities for different small molecules, with the greatest reduction observed for an intercalating compound that binds RNA non-specifically. Our results suggest that by competing for hydrophobic interactions, DMSO can have a small but significant effect on RNA structure and ligand binding. These effects should be considered when developing ligand binding assays and high throughput screens.