Amb motiu del tancament d'estiu, la validació de documents es reprendrà a partir del 28 d'agost de 2026. Disculpeu les molèsties.
Con motivo del cierre de verano, la validación de documentos se reanudará a partir del 28 de agosto de 2026. Disculpad las molestias
Due to the summer closure, document validation will resume starting August 28, 2026. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Files

Morral et al_CELL-STEM-CELL.pdf (35.62 MB)

Document type

Article

Version

Accepted version

Publication date

2020-05-11

Publication license

cc-by-nc-nd (c) Elsevier, 2020
Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/2445/160426

Zonation of Ribosomal DNA Transcription Defines a Stem Cell Hierarchy in Colorectal Cancer

Journal Title

Authors

Director/Tutor

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Related resource

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stem.2020.04.012

Abstract

Colorectal cancers (CRCs) are composed of an amalgam of cells with distinct genotypes and phenotypes. Here, we reveal a previously unappreciated heterogeneity in the biosynthetic capacities of CRC cells. We discover that the majority of ribosomal DNA transcription and protein synthesis in CRCs occurs in a limited subset of tumor cells that localize in defined niches. The rest of the tumor cells undergo an irreversible loss of their biosynthetic capacities as a consequence of differentiation. Cancer cells within the biosynthetic domains are characterized by elevated levels of the RNA polymerase I subunit A (POLR1A). Genetic ablation of POLR1A-high cell population imposes an irreversible growth arrest on CRCs. We show that elevated biosynthesis defines stemness in both LGR5+ and LGR5− tumor cells. Therefore, a common architecture in CRCs is a simple cell hierarchy based on the differential capacity to transcribe ribosomal DNA and synthesize proteins.

Subject

Càncer colorectal, Cèl·lules mare, Transcripció genètica

Subject (English)

Colorectal cancer, Stem cells, Genetic transcription

Citation

Collections

Articles publicats en revistes (Institut de Recerca Biomèdica (IRB Barcelona))
Articles publicats en revistes (Institut d'lnvestigació Biomèdica de Bellvitge (IDIBELL))

Citation

MORRAL, Clara, et al. Zonation of Ribosomal DNA Transcription Defines a Stem Cell Hierarchy in Colorectal Cancer. Cell Stem Cell. 26. Vol.  June, num. 2020. ISSN 1934-5909. [consulted: 12 of August of 2026]. Available at: https://hdl.handle.net/2445/160426

Export metadata

JSON - METS

Share record