1
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Hiers NM, Li T, Traugot CM, Xie M. Target-directed microRNA degradation: Mechanisms, significance, and functional implications. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. RNA 2024; 15:e1832. [PMID: 38448799 PMCID: PMC11098282 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Revised: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that play a fundamental role in enabling miRNA-mediated target repression, a post-transcriptional gene regulatory mechanism preserved across metazoans. Loss of certain animal miRNA genes can lead to developmental abnormalities, disease, and various degrees of embryonic lethality. These short RNAs normally guide Argonaute (AGO) proteins to target RNAs, which are in turn translationally repressed and destabilized, silencing the target to fine-tune gene expression and maintain cellular homeostasis. Delineating miRNA-mediated target decay has been thoroughly examined in thousands of studies, yet despite these exhaustive studies, comparatively less is known about how and why miRNAs are directed for decay. Several key observations over the years have noted instances of rapid miRNA turnover, suggesting endogenous means for animals to induce miRNA degradation. Recently, it was revealed that certain targets, so-called target-directed miRNA degradation (TDMD) triggers, can "trigger" miRNA decay through inducing proteolysis of AGO and thereby the bound miRNA. This process is mediated in animals via the ZSWIM8 ubiquitin ligase complex, which is recruited to AGO during engagement with triggers. Since its discovery, several studies have identified that ZSWIM8 and TDMD are indispensable for proper animal development. Given the rapid expansion of this field of study, here, we summarize the key findings that have led to and followed the discovery of ZSWIM8-dependent TDMD. This article is categorized under: Regulatory RNAs/RNAi/Riboswitches > Regulatory RNAs RNA Turnover and Surveillance > Turnover/Surveillance Mechanisms RNA in Disease and Development > RNA in Development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas M Hiers
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, UF Health Cancer Center, UF Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Tianqi Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, UF Health Cancer Center, UF Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Conner M Traugot
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, UF Health Cancer Center, UF Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Mingyi Xie
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, UF Health Cancer Center, UF Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
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2
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Bernard EIM, Towler BP, Rogoyski OM, Newbury SF. Characterisation of the in-vivo miRNA landscape in Drosophila ribonuclease mutants reveals Pacman-mediated regulation of the highly conserved let-7 cluster during apoptotic processes. Front Genet 2024; 15:1272689. [PMID: 38444757 PMCID: PMC10912645 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2024.1272689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
The control of gene expression is a fundamental process essential for correct development and to maintain homeostasis. Many post-transcriptional mechanisms exist to maintain the correct levels of each RNA transcript within the cell. Controlled and targeted cytoplasmic RNA degradation is one such mechanism with the 5'-3' exoribonuclease Pacman (XRN1) and the 3'-5' exoribonuclease Dis3L2 playing crucial roles. Loss of function mutations in either Pacman or Dis3L2 have been demonstrated to result in distinct phenotypes, and both have been implicated in human disease. One mechanism by which gene expression is controlled is through the function of miRNAs which have been shown to be crucial for the control of almost all cellular processes. Although the biogenesis and mechanisms of action of miRNAs have been comprehensively studied, the mechanisms regulating their own turnover are not well understood. Here we characterise the miRNA landscape in a natural developing tissue, the Drosophila melanogaster wing imaginal disc, and assess the importance of Pacman and Dis3L2 on the abundance of miRNAs. We reveal a complex landscape of miRNA expression and show that whilst a null mutation in dis3L2 has a minimal effect on the miRNA expression profile, loss of Pacman has a profound effect with a third of all detected miRNAs demonstrating Pacman sensitivity. We also reveal a role for Pacman in regulating the highly conserved let-7 cluster (containing miR-100, let-7 and miR-125) and present a genetic model outlining a positive feedback loop regulated by Pacman which enhances our understanding of the apoptotic phenotype observed in Pacman mutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa I. M. Bernard
- Brighton and Sussex Medical School, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom
| | - Benjamin P. Towler
- Brighton and Sussex Medical School, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom
| | - Oliver M. Rogoyski
- Brighton and Sussex Medical School, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah F. Newbury
- Brighton and Sussex Medical School, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom
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3
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Cui Y, Qi Y, Ding L, Ding S, Han Z, Wang Y, Du P. miRNA dosage control in development and human disease. Trends Cell Biol 2024; 34:31-47. [PMID: 37419737 DOI: 10.1016/j.tcb.2023.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023]
Abstract
In mammals, miRNAs recognize target mRNAs via base pairing, which leads to a complex 'multiple-to-multiple' regulatory network. Previous studies have focused on the regulatory mechanisms and functions of individual miRNAs, but alterations of many individual miRNAs do not strongly disturb the miRNA regulatory network. Recent studies revealed the important roles of global miRNA dosage control events in physiological processes and pathogenesis, suggesting that miRNAs can be considered as a 'cellular buffer' that controls cell fate. Here, we review the current state of research on how global miRNA dosage is tightly controlled to regulate development, tumorigenesis, neurophysiology, and immunity. We propose that methods of controlling global miRNA dosage may serve as effective therapeutic tools to cure human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingzi Cui
- MOE Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Ye Qi
- MOE Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China; Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Li Ding
- MOE Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Shuangjin Ding
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Future Technology, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Zonglin Han
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Future Technology, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Yangming Wang
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Future Technology, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
| | - Peng Du
- MOE Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China; Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
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4
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Liu Y, Guo S, Xie W, Yang H, Li W, Zhou N, Yang J, Zhou G, Mao C, Zheng Y. Identification of microRNA editing sites in clear cell renal cell carcinoma. Sci Rep 2023; 13:15117. [PMID: 37704698 PMCID: PMC10499803 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-42302-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is a malignant tumor originating from the renal tubular epithelium. Although the microRNAs (miRNAs) transcriptome of ccRCC has been extensively studied, the role of miRNAs editing in ccRCC is largely unknown. By analyzing small RNA sequencing profiles of renal tissues of 154 ccRCC patients and 22 normal controls, we identified 1025 miRNA editing sites from 246 pre-miRNAs. There were 122 editing events with significantly different editing levels in ccRCC compared to normal samples, which include two A-to-I editing events in the seed regions of hsa-mir-376a-3p and hsa-mir-376c-3p, respectively, and one C-to-U editing event in the seed region of hsa-mir-29c-3p. After comparing the targets of the original and edited miRNAs, we found that hsa-mir-376a-1_49g, hsa-mir-376c_48g and hsa-mir-29c_59u had many new targets, respectively. Many of these new targets were deregulated in ccRCC, which might be related to the different editing levels of hsa-mir-376a-3p, hsa-mir-376c-3p, hsa-mir-29c-3p in ccRCC compared to normal controls. Our study sheds new light on miRNA editing events and their potential biological functions in ccRCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yulong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650500, Yunnan, China
| | - Shiyong Guo
- College of Landscape and Horticulture, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China
| | - Wenping Xie
- College of Landscape and Horticulture, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650500, Yunnan, China
| | - Huaide Yang
- College of Landscape and Horticulture, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China
- Faculty of Information Engineering and Automation, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650500, Yunnan, China
| | - Wanran Li
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650500, Yunnan, China
- College of Landscape and Horticulture, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China
| | - Nan Zhou
- College of Landscape and Horticulture, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China
| | - Jun Yang
- School of Criminal Investigation, Yunnan Police College, Kunming, 650223, Yunnan, China
| | - Guangchen Zhou
- College of Landscape and Horticulture, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China
| | - Chunyi Mao
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650500, Yunnan, China
- College of Landscape and Horticulture, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China
| | - Yun Zheng
- College of Landscape and Horticulture, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China.
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5
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Gou LT, Zhu Q, Liu MF. Small RNAs: An expanding world with therapeutic promises. FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 3:676-682. [PMID: 38933305 PMCID: PMC11197668 DOI: 10.1016/j.fmre.2023.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Revised: 03/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Small non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs), such as microRNAs (miRNAs), small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs), and transfer RNA (tRNA)-derived small RNAs (tsRNAs), play essential roles in regulating various cellular and developmental processes. Over the past three decades, researchers have identified novel sncRNA species from various organisms. These molecules demonstrate dynamic expression and diverse functions, and they are subject to intricate regulation through RNA modifications in both healthy and diseased states. Notably, certain sncRNAs in gametes, particularly sperm, respond to environmental stimuli and facilitate epigenetic inheritance. Collectively, the in-depth understanding of sncRNA functions and mechanisms has accelerated the development of small RNA-based therapeutics. In this review, we present the recent advances in the field, including new sncRNA species and the regulatory influences of RNA modifications. We also discuss the current limitations and challenges associated with using small RNAs as either biomarkers or therapeutic drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lan-Tao Gou
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Andrology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Qifan Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Andrology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Mo-Fang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Andrology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
- School of Life Science, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310024, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, Shanghai Tech University, Shanghai 201210, China
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6
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Quesnelle DC, Bendena WG, Chin-Sang ID. A Compilation of the Diverse miRNA Functions in Caenorhabditis elegans and Drosophila melanogaster Development. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24086963. [PMID: 37108126 PMCID: PMC10139094 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24086963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Revised: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs are critical regulators of post-transcriptional gene expression in a wide range of taxa, including invertebrates, mammals, and plants. Since their discovery in the nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans, miRNA research has exploded, and they are being identified in almost every facet of development. Invertebrate model organisms, particularly C. elegans, and Drosophila melanogaster, are ideal systems for studying miRNA function, and the roles of many miRNAs are known in these animals. In this review, we compiled the functions of many of the miRNAs that are involved in the development of these invertebrate model species. We examine how gene regulation by miRNAs shapes both embryonic and larval development and show that, although many different aspects of development are regulated, several trends are apparent in the nature of their regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - William G Bendena
- Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - Ian D Chin-Sang
- Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
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7
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Örkenby L, Skog S, Ekman H, Gozzo A, Kugelberg U, Ramesh R, Magadi S, Zambanini G, Nordin A, Cantú C, Nätt D, Öst A. Stress-sensitive dynamics of miRNAs and Elba1 in Drosophila embryogenesis. Mol Syst Biol 2023; 19:e11148. [PMID: 36938679 PMCID: PMC10167479 DOI: 10.15252/msb.202211148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2022] [Revised: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Early-life stress can result in life-long effects that impact adult health and disease risk, but little is known about how such programming is established and maintained. Here, we show that such epigenetic memories can be initiated in the Drosophila embryo before the major wave of zygotic transcription, and higher-order chromatin structures are established. An early short heat shock results in elevated levels of maternal miRNA and reduced levels of a subgroup of zygotic genes in stage 5 embryos. Using a Dicer-1 mutant, we show that the stress-induced decrease in one of these genes, the insulator-binding factor Elba1, is dependent on functional miRNA biogenesis. Reduction in Elba1 correlates with the upregulation of early developmental genes and promotes a sustained weakening of heterochromatin in the adult fly as indicated by an increased expression of the PEV wm4h reporter. We propose that maternal miRNAs, retained in response to an early embryonic heat shock, shape the subsequent de novo heterochromatin establishment that occurs during early development via direct or indirect regulation of some of the earliest expressed genes, including Elba1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lovisa Örkenby
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Signe Skog
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Helen Ekman
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Alessandro Gozzo
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Unn Kugelberg
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Rashmi Ramesh
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Srivathsa Magadi
- Division of Neurobiology (NEURO), Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Gianluca Zambanini
- Division of Molecular Medicine and Virology (MMV), Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Anna Nordin
- Division of Molecular Medicine and Virology (MMV), Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Claudio Cantú
- Division of Molecular Medicine and Virology (MMV), Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Daniel Nätt
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Anita Öst
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
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8
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Han J, Mendell JT. MicroRNA turnover: a tale of tailing, trimming, and targets. Trends Biochem Sci 2023; 48:26-39. [PMID: 35811249 PMCID: PMC9789169 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2022.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2022] [Revised: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) post-transcriptionally repress gene expression by guiding Argonaute (AGO) proteins to target mRNAs. While much is known about the regulation of miRNA biogenesis, miRNA degradation pathways are comparatively poorly understood. Although miRNAs generally exhibit slow turnover, they can be rapidly degraded through regulated mechanisms that act in a context- or sequence-specific manner. Recent work has revealed a particularly important role for specialized target interactions in controlling rates of miRNA degradation. Engagement of these targets is associated with the addition and removal of nucleotides from the 3' ends of miRNAs, a process known as tailing and trimming. Here we review these mechanisms of miRNA modification and turnover, highlighting the contexts in which they impact miRNA stability and discussing important questions that remain unanswered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaeil Han
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390-9148, USA
| | - Joshua T Mendell
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390-9148, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390-9148, USA.
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9
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Paloviita P, Vuoristo S. The non-coding genome in early human development - Recent advancements. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2022; 131:4-13. [PMID: 35177347 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2022.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Revised: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Not that long ago, the human genome was discovered to be mainly non-coding, that is comprised of DNA sequences that do not code for proteins. The initial paradigm that non-coding is also non-functional was soon overturned and today the work to uncover the functions of non-coding DNA and RNA in human early embryogenesis has commenced. Early human development is characterized by large-scale changes in genomic activity and the transcriptome that are partly driven by the coordinated activation and repression of repetitive DNA elements scattered across the genome. Here we provide examples of recent novel discoveries of non-coding DNA and RNA interactions and mechanisms that ensure accurate non-coding activity during human maternal-to-zygotic transition and lineage segregation. These include studies on small and long non-coding RNAs, transposable element regulation, and RNA tailing in human oocytes and early embryos. High-throughput approaches to dissect the non-coding regulatory networks governing early human development are a foundation for functional studies of specific genomic elements and molecules that has only begun and will provide a wider understanding of early human embryogenesis and causes of infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pauliina Paloviita
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Sanna Vuoristo
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland.
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10
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Kingston ER, Blodgett LW, Bartel DP. Endogenous transcripts direct microRNA degradation in Drosophila, and this targeted degradation is required for proper embryonic development. Mol Cell 2022; 82:3872-3884.e9. [PMID: 36150386 PMCID: PMC9648618 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2022.08.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Revised: 06/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) typically direct degradation of their mRNA targets. However, some targets have unusual miRNA-binding sites that direct degradation of cognate miRNAs. Although this target-directed miRNA degradation (TDMD) is thought to shape the levels of numerous miRNAs, relatively few sites that endogenously direct degradation have been identified. Here, we identify six sites, five in mRNAs and one in a noncoding RNA named Marge, which serve this purpose in Drosophila cells or embryos. These six sites direct miRNA degradation without collateral target degradation, helping explain the effectiveness of this miRNA-degradation pathway. Mutations that disrupt this pathway are lethal, with many flies dying as embryos. Concomitant derepression of miR-3 and its paralog miR-309 appears responsible for some of this lethality, whereas the loss of Marge-directed degradation of miR-310 miRNAs causes defects in embryonic cuticle development. Thus, TDMD is implicated in the viability of an animal and is required for its proper development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena R Kingston
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Whitehead Institute of Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Lianne W Blodgett
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Whitehead Institute of Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - David P Bartel
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Whitehead Institute of Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
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11
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Donnelly BF, Yang B, Grimme AL, Vieux KF, Liu CY, Zhou L, McJunkin K. The developmentally timed decay of an essential microRNA family is seed-sequence dependent. Cell Rep 2022; 40:111154. [PMID: 35947946 PMCID: PMC9413084 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2021] [Revised: 06/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
MicroRNA (miRNA) abundance is tightly controlled by regulation of biogenesis and decay. Here, we show that the mir-35 miRNA family undergoes selective decay at the transition from embryonic to larval development in C. elegans. The seed sequence of the miRNA is necessary and largely sufficient for this regulation. Sequences outside the seed (3' end) regulate mir-35 abundance in the embryo but are not necessary for sharp decay at the transition to larval development. Enzymatic modifications of the miRNA 3' end are neither prevalent nor correlated with changes in decay, suggesting that miRNA 3' end display is not a core feature of this mechanism and further supporting a seed-driven decay model. Our findings demonstrate that seed-sequence-specific decay can selectively and coherently regulate all redundant members of a miRNA seed family, a class of mechanism that has great biological and therapeutic potential for dynamic regulation of a miRNA family's target repertoire.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bridget F Donnelly
- Laboratory of Cellular and Developmental Biology, NIDDK Intramural Research Program, 50 South Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; Johns Hopkins University Department of Biology, 3400 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Bing Yang
- Laboratory of Cellular and Developmental Biology, NIDDK Intramural Research Program, 50 South Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Acadia L Grimme
- Laboratory of Cellular and Developmental Biology, NIDDK Intramural Research Program, 50 South Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; Johns Hopkins University Department of Biology, 3400 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Karl-Frédéric Vieux
- Laboratory of Cellular and Developmental Biology, NIDDK Intramural Research Program, 50 South Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Chen-Yu Liu
- Laboratory of Cellular and Developmental Biology, NIDDK Intramural Research Program, 50 South Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Lecong Zhou
- Laboratory of Cellular and Developmental Biology, NIDDK Intramural Research Program, 50 South Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Katherine McJunkin
- Laboratory of Cellular and Developmental Biology, NIDDK Intramural Research Program, 50 South Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
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12
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Nicholson-Shaw T, Lykke-Andersen J. Tailer: a pipeline for sequencing-based analysis of nonpolyadenylated RNA 3' end processing. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2022; 28:645-656. [PMID: 35181644 PMCID: PMC9014879 DOI: 10.1261/rna.079071.121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Post-transcriptional trimming and tailing of RNA 3' ends play key roles in the processing and quality control of noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs). However, bioinformatic tools to examine changes in the RNA 3' "tailome" are sparse and not standardized. Here we present Tailer, a bioinformatic pipeline in two parts that allows for robust quantification and analysis of tail information from next-generation sequencing experiments that preserve RNA 3' end information. The first part of Tailer, Tailer-processing, uses genome annotation or reference FASTA gene sequences to quantify RNA 3' ends from SAM-formatted alignment files or FASTQ sequence read files produced from sequencing experiments. The second part, Tailer-analysis, uses the output of Tailer-processing to identify statistically significant RNA targets of trimming and tailing and create graphs for data exploration. We apply Tailer to RNA 3' end sequencing experiments from three published studies and find that it accurately and reproducibly recapitulates key findings. Thus, Tailer should be a useful and easily accessible tool to globally investigate tailing dynamics of nonpolyadenylated RNAs and conditions that perturb them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Nicholson-Shaw
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
| | - Jens Lykke-Andersen
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
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13
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Watson OT, Buchmann G, Young P, Lo K, Remnant EJ, Yagound B, Shambrook M, Hill AF, Oldroyd BP, Ashe A. Abundant small RNAs in the reproductive tissues and eggs of the honey bee, Apis mellifera. BMC Genomics 2022; 23:257. [PMID: 35379185 PMCID: PMC8978429 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-022-08478-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Polyandrous social insects such as the honey bee are prime candidates for parental manipulation of gene expression in offspring. Although there is good evidence for parent-of-origin effects in honey bees the epigenetic mechanisms that underlie these effects remain a mystery. Small RNA molecules such as miRNAs, piRNAs and siRNAs play important roles in transgenerational epigenetic inheritance and in the regulation of gene expression during development. Results Here we present the first characterisation of small RNAs present in honey bee reproductive tissues: ovaries, spermatheca, semen, fertilised and unfertilised eggs, and testes. We show that semen contains fewer piRNAs relative to eggs and ovaries, and that piRNAs and miRNAs which map antisense to genes involved in DNA regulation and developmental processes are differentially expressed between tissues. tRNA fragments are highly abundant in semen and have a similar profile to those seen in the semen of other animals. Intriguingly we also find abundant piRNAs that target the sex determination locus, suggesting that piRNAs may play a role in honey bee sex determination. Conclusions We conclude that small RNAs may play a fundamental role in honey bee gametogenesis and reproduction and provide a plausible mechanism for parent-of-origin effects on gene expression and reproductive physiology. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-022-08478-9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Owen T Watson
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Gabriele Buchmann
- BEE Laboratory, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Paul Young
- Molecular Cardiology and Biophysics Division, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute NSW 2010, Darlinghurst, Australia
| | - Kitty Lo
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Emily J Remnant
- BEE Laboratory, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Boris Yagound
- BEE Laboratory, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Mitch Shambrook
- Department of Biochemistry and Chemistry, School of Agriculture, Biomedicine and Environment, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, 3086, Australia
| | - Andrew F Hill
- Department of Biochemistry and Chemistry, School of Agriculture, Biomedicine and Environment, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, 3086, Australia.,Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Footscray, VIC, Australia
| | - Benjamin P Oldroyd
- BEE Laboratory, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia. .,Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin, Wallotstrasse 19, 14193, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Alyson Ashe
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia.
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14
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Toghan R, Amin YA, Ali RA, Fouad SS, Ahmed MAEB, Saleh SM. Protective effects of Folic acid against reproductive, hematological, hepatic, and renal toxicity induced by Acetamiprid in male Albino rats. Toxicology 2022; 469:153115. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2022.153115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Revised: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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15
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Vieux KF, Prothro KP, Kelley LH, Palmer C, Maine EM, Veksler-Lublinsky I, McJunkin K. Screening by deep sequencing reveals mediators of microRNA tailing in C. elegans. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:11167-11180. [PMID: 34586415 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2021] [Revised: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
microRNAs are frequently modified by addition of untemplated nucleotides to the 3' end, but the role of this tailing is often unclear. Here we characterize the prevalence and functional consequences of microRNA tailing in vivo, using Caenorhabditis elegans. MicroRNA tailing in C. elegans consists mostly of mono-uridylation of mature microRNA species, with rarer mono-adenylation which is likely added to microRNA precursors. Through a targeted RNAi screen, we discover that the TUT4/TUT7 gene family member CID-1/CDE-1/PUP-1 is required for uridylation, whereas the GLD2 gene family member F31C3.2-here named GLD-2-related 2 (GLDR-2)-is required for adenylation. Thus, the TUT4/TUT7 and GLD2 gene families have broadly conserved roles in miRNA modification. We specifically examine the role of tailing in microRNA turnover. We determine half-lives of microRNAs after acute inactivation of microRNA biogenesis, revealing that half-lives are generally long (median = 20.7 h), as observed in other systems. Although we observe that the proportion of tailed species increases over time after biogenesis, disrupting tailing does not alter microRNA decay. Thus, tailing is not a global regulator of decay in C. elegans. Nonetheless, by identifying the responsible enzymes, this study lays the groundwork to explore whether tailing plays more specialized context- or miRNA-specific regulatory roles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karl-Frédéric Vieux
- National Institutes of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Intramural Research Program, Bethesda, MD 20815, USA
| | - Katherine P Prothro
- National Institutes of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Intramural Research Program, Bethesda, MD 20815, USA.,Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Leanne H Kelley
- Department of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA
| | - Cameron Palmer
- National Institutes of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Intramural Research Program, Bethesda, MD 20815, USA
| | - Eleanor M Maine
- Department of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA
| | | | - Katherine McJunkin
- National Institutes of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Intramural Research Program, Bethesda, MD 20815, USA
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16
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Cecere G. Small RNAs in epigenetic inheritance: from mechanisms to trait transmission. FEBS Lett 2021; 595:2953-2977. [PMID: 34671979 PMCID: PMC9298081 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.14210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Revised: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Inherited information is transmitted to progeny primarily by the genome through the gametes. However, in recent years, epigenetic inheritance has been demonstrated in several organisms, including animals. Although it is clear that certain post‐translational histone modifications, DNA methylation, and noncoding RNAs regulate epigenetic inheritance, the molecular mechanisms responsible for epigenetic inheritance are incompletely understood. This review focuses on the role of small RNAs in transmitting epigenetic information across generations in animals. Examples of documented cases of transgenerational epigenetic inheritance are discussed, from the silencing of transgenes to the inheritance of complex traits, such as fertility, stress responses, infections, and behavior. Experimental evidence supporting the idea that small RNAs are epigenetic molecules capable of transmitting traits across generations is highlighted, focusing on the mechanisms by which small RNAs achieve such a function. Just as the role of small RNAs in epigenetic processes is redefining the concept of inheritance, so too our understanding of the molecular pathways and mechanisms that govern epigenetic inheritance in animals is radically changing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Germano Cecere
- Mechanisms of Epigenetic Inheritance, Department of Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, Institut Pasteur, UMR3738, CNRS, Paris, France
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17
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Small RNA expression and miRNA modification dynamics in human oocytes and early embryos. Genome Res 2021; 31:1474-1485. [PMID: 34340992 PMCID: PMC8327922 DOI: 10.1101/gr.268193.120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Small noncoding RNAs (sRNAs) play important roles during the oocyte-to-embryo transition (OET), when the maternal phenotype is reprogrammed and the embryo genome is gradually activated. The transcriptional program driving early human development has been studied with the focus mainly on protein-coding RNAs, and expression dynamics of sRNAs remain largely unexplored. We profiled sRNAs in human oocytes and early embryos using an RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) method suitable for low inputs of material. We show that OET in humans is temporally coupled with the transition from predominant expression of oocyte short piRNAs (os-piRNAs) in oocytes, to activation of microRNA (miRNA) expression in cleavage stage embryos. Additionally, 3′ mono- and oligoadenylation of miRNAs is markedly increased in zygotes. We hypothesize that this may modulate the function or stability of maternal miRNAs, some of which are retained throughout the first cell divisions in embryos. This study is the first of its kind elucidating the dynamics of sRNA expression and miRNA modification along a continuous trajectory of early human development and provides a valuable data set for in-depth interpretative analyses.
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18
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Hawke DC, Ahmed DB, Watson AJ, Betts DH. Murine Blastocysts Release Mature MicroRNAs Into Culture Media That Reflect Developmental Status. Front Genet 2021; 12:655882. [PMID: 34122510 PMCID: PMC8193861 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.655882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Extracellular microRNA (miRNA) sequences derived from the pre-implantation embryo have attracted interest for their possible contributions to the ongoing embryonic-uterine milieu, as well as their potential for use as accessible biomarkers indicative of embryonic health. Spent culture media microdroplets used to culture late-stage E4.0 murine blastocysts were screened for 641 mature miRNA sequences using a reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction-based array. We report here 39 miRNAs exclusively detected in the conditioned media, including the implantation-relevant miR-126a-3p, miR-101a, miR-143, and miR-320, in addition to members of the highly expressed embryonic miR-125 and miR-290 families. Based on these results, an miRNA panel was assembled comprising five members of the miR-290 family (miR-291-295) and five conserved sequences with significance to the embryonic secretome (miR-20a, miR-30c, miR-142-3p, miR-191, and miR-320). Panel profiling of developing embryo cohort lysates and accompanying conditioned media microdroplets revealed extensive similarities in relative quantities of miRNAs and, as a biomarker proof of concept, enabled distinction between media conditioned with differently staged embryos (zygote, 4-cell, and blastocyst). When used to assess media conditioned with embryos of varying degrees of degeneration, the panel revealed increases in all extracellular panel sequences, suggesting cell death is an influential and identifiable factor detectable by this assessment. In situ hybridization of three panel sequences (miR-30c, miR-294, and miR-295) in late-stage blastocysts revealed primarily inner cell mass expression with a significant presence of miR-294 throughout the blastocyst cavity. Furthermore, extracellular miR-290 sequences responded significantly to high centrifugal force, suggesting a substantial fraction of these sequences may exist within a vesicle such as an exosome, microvesicle, or apoptotic bleb. Together, these results support the use of extracellular miRNA to assess embryonic health and enable development of a non-invasive viability diagnostic tool for clinical use.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Connor Hawke
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada.,Children's Health Research Institute-LHRI, London, ON, Canada
| | - Danyal Baber Ahmed
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada.,Children's Health Research Institute-LHRI, London, ON, Canada
| | - Andrew John Watson
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada.,Children's Health Research Institute-LHRI, London, ON, Canada
| | - Dean Harvey Betts
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada.,Children's Health Research Institute-LHRI, London, ON, Canada
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19
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Zhang H, Wang Y, Tang X, Dou S, Sun Y, Zhang Q, Lu J. Combinatorial regulation of gene expression by uORFs and microRNAs in Drosophila. Sci Bull (Beijing) 2021; 66:225-228. [PMID: 36654327 DOI: 10.1016/j.scib.2020.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Revised: 09/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Hong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Center for Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yirong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Center for Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Bioinformatics Center, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China
| | - Xiaolu Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Center for Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Shengqian Dou
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Center for Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yuanqiang Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Center for Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Qi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Center for Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Jian Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Center for Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
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20
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Galagali H, Kim JK. The multifaceted roles of microRNAs in differentiation. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2020; 67:118-140. [PMID: 33152557 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2020.08.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are major drivers of cell fate specification and differentiation. The post-transcriptional regulation of key molecular factors by microRNAs contributes to the progression of embryonic and postembryonic development in several organisms. Following the discovery of lin-4 and let-7 in Caenorhabditis elegans and bantam microRNAs in Drosophila melanogaster, microRNAs have emerged as orchestrators of cellular differentiation and developmental timing. Spatiotemporal control of microRNAs and associated protein machinery can modulate microRNA activity. Additionally, adaptive modulation of microRNA expression and function in response to changing environmental conditions ensures that robust cell fate specification during development is maintained. Herein, we review the role of microRNAs in the regulation of differentiation during development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Himani Galagali
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
| | - John K Kim
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA.
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21
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Liudkovska V, Dziembowski A. Functions and mechanisms of RNA tailing by metazoan terminal nucleotidyltransferases. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-RNA 2020; 12:e1622. [PMID: 33145994 PMCID: PMC7988573 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Revised: 06/25/2020] [Accepted: 06/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Termini often determine the fate of RNA molecules. In recent years, 3' ends of almost all classes of RNA species have been shown to acquire nontemplated nucleotides that are added by terminal nucleotidyltransferases (TENTs). The best-described role of 3' tailing is the bulk polyadenylation of messenger RNAs in the cell nucleus that is catalyzed by canonical poly(A) polymerases (PAPs). However, many other enzymes that add adenosines, uridines, or even more complex combinations of nucleotides have recently been described. This review focuses on metazoan TENTs, which are either noncanonical PAPs or terminal uridylyltransferases with varying processivity. These enzymes regulate RNA stability and RNA functions and are crucial in early development, gamete production, and somatic tissues. TENTs regulate gene expression at the posttranscriptional level, participate in the maturation of many transcripts, and protect cells against viral invasion and the transposition of repetitive sequences. This article is categorized under: RNA Interactions with Proteins and Other Molecules > Protein-RNA Recognition RNA Processing > 3' End Processing RNA Turnover and Surveillance > Regulation of RNA Stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladyslava Liudkovska
- Laboratory of RNA Biology, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Andrzej Dziembowski
- Laboratory of RNA Biology, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Warsaw, Poland.,Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
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22
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A tale of non-canonical tails: gene regulation by post-transcriptional RNA tailing. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2020; 21:542-556. [PMID: 32483315 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-020-0246-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
RNA tailing, or the addition of non-templated nucleotides to the 3' end of RNA, is the most frequent and conserved type of RNA modification. The addition of tails and their composition reflect RNA maturation stages and have important roles in determining the fate of the modified RNAs. Apart from canonical poly(A) polymerases, which add poly(A) tails to mRNAs in a transcription-coupled manner, a family of terminal nucleotidyltransferases (TENTs), including terminal uridylyltransferases (TUTs), modify RNAs post-transcriptionally to control RNA stability and activity. The human genome encodes 11 different TENTs with distinct substrate specificity, intracellular localization and tissue distribution. In this Review, we discuss recent advances in our understanding of non-canonical RNA tails, with a focus on the functions of human TENTs, which include uridylation, mixed tailing and post-transcriptional polyadenylation of mRNAs, microRNAs and other types of non-coding RNA.
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23
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Hojo H, Yashiro Y, Noda Y, Ogami K, Yamagishi R, Okada S, Hoshino SI, Suzuki T. The RNA-binding protein QKI-7 recruits the poly(A) polymerase GLD-2 for 3' adenylation and selective stabilization of microRNA-122. J Biol Chem 2019; 295:390-402. [PMID: 31792053 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra119.011617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Revised: 11/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
MicroRNA-122 (miR-122) is highly expressed in hepatocytes, where it plays an important role in regulating cholesterol and fatty acid metabolism, and it is also a host factor required for hepatitis C virus replication. miR-122 is selectively stabilized by 3' adenylation mediated by the cytoplasmic poly(A) polymerase GLD-2 (also known as PAPD4 or TENT2). However, it is unclear how GLD-2 specifically stabilizes miR-122. Here, we show that QKI7 KH domain-containing RNA binding (QKI-7), one of three isoforms of the QKI proteins, which are members of the signal transduction and activation of RNA (STAR) family of RNA-binding proteins, is involved in miR-122 stabilization. QKI down-regulation specifically decreased the steady-state level of mature miR-122, but did not affect the pre-miR-122 level. We also found that QKI-7 uses its C-terminal region to interact with GLD-2 and its QUA2 domain to associate with the RNA-induced silencing complex protein Argonaute 2 (Ago2), indicating that the GLD-2-QKI-7 interaction recruits GLD-2 to Ago2. QKI-7 exhibited specific affinity to miR-122 and significantly promoted GLD-2-mediated 3' adenylation of miR-122 in vitro Taken together, our findings indicate that miR-122 binds Ago2-interacting QKI-7, which recruits GLD-2 for 3' adenylation and stabilization of miR-122.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroaki Hojo
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
| | - Yuka Yashiro
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
| | - Yuta Noda
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
| | - Koichi Ogami
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, Nagoya 467-8603, Japan
| | - Ryota Yamagishi
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, Nagoya 467-8603, Japan
| | - Shunpei Okada
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
| | - Shin-Ichi Hoshino
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, Nagoya 467-8603, Japan
| | - Tsutomu Suzuki
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan.
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24
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Kim H, Kim J, Kim K, Chang H, You K, Kim VN. Bias-minimized quantification of microRNA reveals widespread alternative processing and 3' end modification. Nucleic Acids Res 2019; 47:2630-2640. [PMID: 30605524 PMCID: PMC6411932 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gky1293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2018] [Revised: 12/07/2018] [Accepted: 12/15/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) modulate diverse biological and pathological processes via post-transcriptional gene silencing. High-throughput small RNA sequencing (sRNA-seq) has been widely adopted to investigate the functions and regulatory mechanisms of miRNAs. However, accurate quantification of miRNAs has been limited owing to the severe ligation bias in conventional sRNA-seq methods. Here, we quantify miRNAs and their variants (known as isomiRs) by an improved sRNA-seq protocol, termed AQ-seq (accurate quantification by sequencing), that utilizes adapters with terminal degenerate sequences and a high concentration of polyethylene glycol (PEG), which minimize the ligation bias during library preparation. Measurement using AQ-seq allows us to correct the previously misannotated 5' end usage and strand preference in public databases. Importantly, the analysis of 5' terminal heterogeneity reveals widespread alternative processing events which have been underestimated. We also identify highly uridylated miRNAs originating from the 3p strands, indicating regulations mediated by terminal uridylyl transferases at the pre-miRNA stage. Taken together, our study reveals the complexity of the miRNA isoform landscape, allowing us to refine miRNA annotation and to advance our understanding of miRNA regulation. Furthermore, AQ-seq can be adopted to improve other ligation-based sequencing methods including crosslinking-immunoprecipitation-sequencing (CLIP-seq) and ribosome profiling (Ribo-seq).
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Affiliation(s)
- Haedong Kim
- Center for RNA Research, Institute for Basic Science, Seoul 08826, Korea.,School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - Jimi Kim
- Center for RNA Research, Institute for Basic Science, Seoul 08826, Korea.,School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - Kijun Kim
- Center for RNA Research, Institute for Basic Science, Seoul 08826, Korea.,School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - Hyeshik Chang
- Center for RNA Research, Institute for Basic Science, Seoul 08826, Korea.,School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - Kwontae You
- Center for RNA Research, Institute for Basic Science, Seoul 08826, Korea.,School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - V Narry Kim
- Center for RNA Research, Institute for Basic Science, Seoul 08826, Korea.,School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
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25
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Abstract
Proteins and RNA molecules are deposited into the developing egg by the mother. These gene products will drive the first stages of development and are coded by maternal genes. Maternal genes are essential, yet, despite their importance, their evolutionary dynamics is largely unknown. Here I review the current knowledge of maternal gene evolution. The evolutionary origin of maternal genes tends to be more recent than that of zygotic genes. Some studies support the theoretical prediction that maternal genes evolve faster than zygotic genes. However, most studies were done on a limited set of species and genes. I also discuss the way forward to understand the evolution of maternal genes by combining high-throughput genomics and theoretical evolutionary approaches.
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26
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Liu Y, Wang M, Liu X, Quan J, Fang Y, Liu Y, Qiu Y, Yu Y, Zhou X. Drosophila Trf4-1 involves in mRNA and primary miRNA transcription. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2019; 511:806-812. [PMID: 30837153 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2019.02.129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2019] [Accepted: 02/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Drosophila Trf4-1 (DmTrf4-1) is a polyadenylation polymerase or terminal nucleotidyl transferase (PAP/TENT) that has been reported to add poly(A) tails to snRNAs in nucleus or mRNAs in cytoplasm. Here, we found that the loss of Trf4-1 resulted in the reduction of mRNAs and primary miRNAs (pri-miRNAs) in both Drosophila S2 cells and adult flies. Interestingly, the role of Trf4-1 in transcription is independent of its PAP/TENT activity. Moreover, using the chromatin immunoprecipitation assay, we uncovered that the loss of Trf4-1 led to abnormal RNA polymerase II accumulation and reduced H3K4me3 binding in promoter regions. Thus, our study indicates a positive role of Trf4-1 in the transcription of mRNAs and pri-miRNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongxiang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430072, China; Laboratory of RNA Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, 430071, China
| | - Ming Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of RNA Biology, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Xin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430072, China
| | - Jia Quan
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430072, China; Laboratory of RNA Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, 430071, China
| | - Yuan Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430072, China; Laboratory of RNA Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, 430071, China
| | - Yujie Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430072, China
| | - Yang Qiu
- Laboratory of RNA Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, 430071, China
| | - Yang Yu
- CAS Key Laboratory of RNA Biology, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Xi Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430072, China; Laboratory of RNA Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, 430071, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
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27
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Shukla S, Bjerke GA, Muhlrad D, Yi R, Parker R. The RNase PARN Controls the Levels of Specific miRNAs that Contribute to p53 Regulation. Mol Cell 2019; 73:1204-1216.e4. [PMID: 30770239 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2019.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2018] [Revised: 11/08/2018] [Accepted: 01/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
PARN loss-of-function mutations cause a severe form of the hereditary disease dyskeratosis congenita (DC). PARN deficiency affects the stability of non-coding RNAs such as human telomerase RNA (hTR), but these effects do not explain the severe disease in patients. We demonstrate that PARN deficiency affects the levels of numerous miRNAs in human cells. PARN regulates miRNA levels by stabilizing either mature or precursor miRNAs by removing oligo(A) tails added by the poly(A) polymerase PAPD5, which if remaining recruit the exonuclease DIS3L or DIS3L2 to degrade the miRNA. PARN knockdown destabilizes multiple miRNAs that repress p53 translation, which leads to an increase in p53 accumulation in a Dicer-dependent manner, thus explaining why PARN-defective patients show p53 accumulation. This work also reveals that DIS3L and DIS3L2 are critical 3' to 5' exonucleases that regulate miRNA stability, with the addition and removal of 3' end extensions controlling miRNA levels in the cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siddharth Shukla
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80303, USA
| | - Glen A Bjerke
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80303, USA
| | - Denise Muhlrad
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80303, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA
| | - Rui Yi
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80303, USA
| | - Roy Parker
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80303, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA.
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28
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Zigáčková D, Vaňáčová Š. The role of 3' end uridylation in RNA metabolism and cellular physiology. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2018; 373:rstb.2018.0171. [PMID: 30397107 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2018.0171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Most eukaryotic RNAs are posttranscriptionally modified. The majority of modifications promote RNA maturation, others may regulate function and stability. The 3' terminal non-templated oligouridylation is a widespread modification affecting many cellular RNAs at some stage of their life cycle. It has diverse roles in RNA metabolism. The most prevalent is the regulation of stability and quality control. On the cellular and organismal level, it plays a critical role in a number of pathways, such as cell cycle regulation, cell death, development or viral infection. Defects in uridylation have been linked to several diseases. This review summarizes the current knowledge about the role of the 3' terminal oligo(U)-tailing in biology of various RNAs in eukaryotes and describes key factors involved in these pathways.This article is part of the theme issue '5' and 3' modifications controlling RNA degradation'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dagmar Zigáčková
- Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), Masaryk University, Kamenice 5/A35, Brno 625 00, Czech Republic
| | - Štěpánka Vaňáčová
- Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), Masaryk University, Kamenice 5/A35, Brno 625 00, Czech Republic
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29
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Towler BP, Newbury SF. Regulation of cytoplasmic RNA stability: Lessons from Drosophila. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-RNA 2018; 9:e1499. [PMID: 30109918 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2018] [Revised: 06/06/2018] [Accepted: 07/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The process of RNA degradation is a critical level of regulation contributing to the control of gene expression. In the last two decades a number of studies have shown the specific and targeted nature of RNA decay and its importance in maintaining homeostasis. The key players within the pathways of RNA decay are well conserved with their mutation or disruption resulting in distinct phenotypes as well as human disease. Model organisms including Drosophila melanogaster have played a substantial role in elucidating the mechanisms conferring control over RNA stability. A particular advantage of this model organism is that the functions of ribonucleases can be assessed in the context of natural cells within tissues in addition to individual immortalized cells in culture. Drosophila RNA stability research has demonstrated how the cytoplasmic decay machines, such as the exosome, Dis3L2 and Xrn1, are responsible for regulating specific processes including apoptosis, proliferation, wound healing and fertility. The work discussed here has begun to identify specific mRNA transcripts that appear sensitive to specific decay pathways representing mechanisms through which the ribonucleases control mRNA stability. Drosophila research has also contributed to our knowledge of how specific RNAs are targeted to the ribonucleases including AU rich elements, miRNA targeting and 3' tailing. Increased understanding of these mechanisms is critical to elucidating the control elicited by the cytoplasmic ribonucleases which is relevant to human disease. This article is categorized under: RNA in Disease and Development > RNA in Development RNA Turnover and Surveillance > Regulation of RNA Stability RNA Turnover and Surveillance > Turnover/Surveillance Mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin P Towler
- Brighton and Sussex Medical School, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK
| | - Sarah F Newbury
- Brighton and Sussex Medical School, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK
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30
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Zhou L, Lim MYT, Kaur P, Saj A, Bortolamiol-Becet D, Gopal V, Tolwinski N, Tucker-Kellogg G, Okamura K. Importance of miRNA stability and alternative primary miRNA isoforms in gene regulation during Drosophila development. eLife 2018; 7:e38389. [PMID: 30024380 PMCID: PMC6066331 DOI: 10.7554/elife.38389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2018] [Accepted: 07/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Mature microRNAs (miRNAs) are processed from primary transcripts (pri-miRNAs), and their expression is controlled at transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels. However, how regulation at multiple levels achieves precise control remains elusive. Using published and new datasets, we profile a time course of mature and pri-miRNAs in Drosophila embryos and reveal the dynamics of miRNA production and degradation as well as dynamic changes in pri-miRNA isoform selection. We found that 5' nucleotides influence stability of mature miRNAs. Furthermore, distinct half-lives of miRNAs from the mir-309 cluster shape their temporal expression patterns, and the importance of rapid degradation of the miRNAs in gene regulation is detected as distinct evolutionary signatures at the target sites in the transcriptome. Finally, we show that rapid degradation of miR-3/-309 may be important for regulation of the planar cell polarity pathway component Vang. Altogether, the results suggest that complex mechanisms regulate miRNA expression to support normal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Zhou
- Temasek Life Sciences LaboratorySingaporeSingapore
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of ScienceNational University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
| | - Mandy Yu Theng Lim
- Temasek Life Sciences LaboratorySingaporeSingapore
- School of Biological SciencesNanyang Technological UniversitySingaporeSingapore
| | - Prameet Kaur
- Division of ScienceYale-NUS CollegeSingaporeSingapore
| | - Abil Saj
- Cancer Therapeutics and Stratified OncologyGenome Institute of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
| | | | - Vikneswaran Gopal
- Department of Statistics and Applied Probability, Faculty of ScienceNational University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
| | - Nicholas Tolwinski
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of ScienceNational University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
- Division of ScienceYale-NUS CollegeSingaporeSingapore
| | - Greg Tucker-Kellogg
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of ScienceNational University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
| | - Katsutomo Okamura
- Temasek Life Sciences LaboratorySingaporeSingapore
- School of Biological SciencesNanyang Technological UniversitySingaporeSingapore
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31
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Jia Ng SS, Zheng RT, Osman I, Pek JW. Generation of Drosophila sisRNAs by Independent Transcription from Cognate Introns. iScience 2018; 4:68-75. [PMID: 30240754 PMCID: PMC6146417 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2018.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2018] [Revised: 04/25/2018] [Accepted: 05/14/2018] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Although stable intronic sequence RNAs (sisRNAs) are conserved in plants and animals, their functional significance is still unclear. We identify a pool of polyadenylated maternally deposited sisRNAs in Drosophila melanogaster. These sisRNAs can be generated by independent transcription from the cognate introns. The ovary-specific poly(A) polymerase Wispy mediates the polyadenylation of maternal sisRNAs and confers their stability as maternal transcripts. A developmentally regulated sisRNA sisR-3 represses the expression of a long noncoding RNA CR44148 and is required during development. Our results expand the pool of sisRNAs and suggest that sisRNAs perform regulatory functions during development in Drosophila. Identification of polyadenylated sisRNAs sisRNAs can be produced from independent transcription sisR-3 regulates a long noncoding RNA sisR-3 is required during development
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon Si Jia Ng
- Temasek Polytechnic, 21 Tampines Avenue 1, Singapore 529757, Singapore
| | - Ruther Teo Zheng
- Ngee Ann Polytechnic, 535 Clementi Road, Singapore 599489, Singapore
| | - Ismail Osman
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, National University of Singapore, 1 Research Link, Singapore 117604, Singapore; Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore 117543, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jun Wei Pek
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, National University of Singapore, 1 Research Link, Singapore 117604, Singapore.
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Abstract
In bilaterian animals the 3′ ends of microRNAs (miRNAs) are frequently modified by tailing and trimming. These modifications affect miRNA-mediated gene regulation by modulating miRNA stability. Here, we analyzed data from three nonbilaterian animals: two cnidarians (Nematostella vectensis and Hydra magnipapillata) and one poriferan (Amphimedon queenslandica). Our analysis revealed that nonbilaterian miRNAs frequently undergo modifications like the bilaterian counterparts: the majority are expressed as different length isoforms and frequent modifications of the 3′ end by mono U or mono A tailing are observed. Moreover, as the factors regulating miRNA modifications are largely uncharacterized in nonbilaterian animal phyla, in present study, we investigated the evolution of 3′ terminal uridylyl transferases (TUTases) that are known to involved in miRNA 3′ nontemplated modifications in Bilateria. Phylogenetic analysis on TUTases showed that TUTase1 and TUTase6 are a result of duplication in bilaterians and that TUTase7 and TUTase4 are the result of a vertebrate-specific duplication. We also find an unexpected number of Drosophila-specific gene duplications and domain losses in most of the investigated gene families. Overall, our findings shed new light on the evolutionary history of TUTases in Metazoa, as they reveal that this core set of enzymes already existed in the last common ancestor of all animals and was probably involved in modifying small RNAs in a similar fashion to its present activity in bilaterians.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vengamanaidu Modepalli
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Yehu Moran
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
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Cosacak MI, Yiğit H, Kizil C, Akgül B. Re-Arrangements in the Cytoplasmic Distribution of Small RNAs Following the Maternal-to-Zygotic Transition in Drosophila Embryos. Genes (Basel) 2018; 9:genes9020082. [PMID: 29439397 PMCID: PMC5852578 DOI: 10.3390/genes9020082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2017] [Revised: 01/31/2018] [Accepted: 02/02/2018] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Small ribonucleic acids (RNAs) are known to regulate gene expression during early development. However, the dynamics of interaction between small RNAs and polysomes during this process is largely unknown. To investigate this phenomenon, 0–1 h and 7–8 h Drosophila melanogaster embryos were fractionated on sucrose density gradients into four fractions based on A254 reading (1) translationally inactive messenger ribonucleoprotein (mRNP), (2) 60S, (3) monosome, and (4) polysome. Comparative analysis of deep-sequencing reads from fractionated and un-fractionated 0–1 h and 7–8 h embryos revealed development-specific co-sedimentation pattern of small RNAs with the cellular translation machinery. Although most micro RNAs (miRNAs) did not have a specific preference for any state of the translational machinery, we detected fraction-specific enrichment of a few miRNAs such as dme-miR-1-3p, -184-3p, 5-5p and 263-5p. More interestingly, we observed changes in the subcellular location of a subset of miRNAs in fractionated embryos despite no measurable difference in their amount in unfractionated embryos. Transposon-derived endo small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) were over-expressed in 7–8 h embryos and associated mainly with the mRNP fraction. In contrast, transposon-derived PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNA), which were more abundant in 0–1 h embryos, co-sedimented primarily with the polysome fractions. These results suggest that there appears to be a complex interplay among the small RNAs with respect to their polysome-cosedimentation pattern during early development in Drosophila melanogaster.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehmet Ilyas Cosacak
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, İzmir Institute of Technology, Gülbahçeköyü, 35430 İzmir, Turkey.
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Dresden, Helmholtz Association, Arnoldstr. 18, 01307 Dresden, Germany.
- Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden (CRTD), Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 105, 01307 Dresden, Germany.
| | - Hatice Yiğit
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, İzmir Institute of Technology, Gülbahçeköyü, 35430 İzmir, Turkey.
| | - Caghan Kizil
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Dresden, Helmholtz Association, Arnoldstr. 18, 01307 Dresden, Germany.
- Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden (CRTD), Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 105, 01307 Dresden, Germany.
| | - Bünyamin Akgül
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, İzmir Institute of Technology, Gülbahçeköyü, 35430 İzmir, Turkey.
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34
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Ylla G, Piulachs MD, Belles X. Comparative analysis of miRNA expression during the development of insects of different metamorphosis modes and germ-band types. BMC Genomics 2017; 18:774. [PMID: 29020923 PMCID: PMC5637074 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-017-4177-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2017] [Accepted: 10/05/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Do miRNAs contribute to specify the germ-band type and the body structure in the insect embryo? Our goal was to address that issue by studying the changes in miRNA expression along the ontogeny of the German cockroach Blattella germanica, which is a short germ-band and hemimetabolan species. Results We sequenced small RNA libraries representing 11 developmental stages of B. germanica ontogeny (with especial emphasis on embryogenesis) and the changes in miRNA expression were examined. Data were compared with equivalent data for two long germ-band holometabolan species Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila virilis, and the short germ-band holometabolan species Tribolium castaneum. The identification of B. germanica embryo small RNA sequences unveiled miRNAs not detected in previous studies, such as those of the MIR-309 family and 54 novel miRNAs. Four main waves of miRNA expression were recognized (with most miRNA changes occurring during the embryonic stages): the first from day 0 to day 1 of embryogenesis, the second during mid-embryogenesis (days 0–6), the third (with an acute expression peak) on day 2 of embryonic development, and the fourth during post-embryonic development. The second wave defined the boundaries of maternal-to-zygotic transition, with maternal mRNAs being cleared, presumably by Mir-309 and associated scavenger miRNAs. Conclusion miRNAs follow well-defined patterns of expression over hemimetabolan ontogeny, patterns that are more diverse during embryonic development than during the nymphal stages. The results suggest that miRNAs play important roles in the developmental transitions between the embryonic stages of development (starting with maternal loading), during which they might influence the germ-band type and metamorphosis mode. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12864-017-4177-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillem Ylla
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Passeig Marítim 37, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Maria-Dolors Piulachs
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Passeig Marítim 37, 08003, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Xavier Belles
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Passeig Marítim 37, 08003, Barcelona, Spain.
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35
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Choi YS, Edwards LO, DiBello A, Jose AM. Removing bias against short sequences enables northern blotting to better complement RNA-seq for the study of small RNAs. Nucleic Acids Res 2017; 45:e87. [PMID: 28180294 PMCID: PMC5449620 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkx091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2015] [Accepted: 02/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Changes in small non-coding RNAs such as micro RNAs (miRNAs) can serve as indicators of disease and can be measured using next-generation sequencing of RNA (RNA-seq). Here, we highlight the need for approaches that complement RNA-seq, discover that northern blotting of small RNAs is biased against short sequences and develop a protocol that removes this bias. We found that multiple small RNA-seq datasets from the worm Caenorhabditis elegans had shorter forms of miRNAs that appear to be degradation products that arose during the preparatory steps required for RNA-seq. When using northern blotting during these studies, we discovered that miRNA-length probes can have ∼1000-fold bias against detecting even synthetic sequences that are 8 nt shorter. By using shorter probes and by performing hybridization and washes at low temperatures, we greatly reduced this bias to enable nearly equivalent detection of 24 to 14 nt RNAs. Our protocol can discriminate RNAs that differ by a single nucleotide and can detect specific miRNAs present in total RNA from C. elegans and pRNAs in total RNA from bacteria. This improved northern blotting is particularly useful to analyze products of RNA processing or turnover, and functional RNAs that are shorter than typical miRNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun S Choi
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College, Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Lanelle O Edwards
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College, Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Aubrey DiBello
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College, Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Antony M Jose
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College, Park, MD 20742, USA
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36
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Tesfaye D, Salilew-Wondim D, Gebremedhn S, Sohel MMH, Pandey HO, Hoelker M, Schellander K. Potential role of microRNAs in mammalian female fertility. Reprod Fertil Dev 2017; 29:8-23. [PMID: 28278789 DOI: 10.1071/rd16266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Since the first evidence for the involvement of microRNAs (miRNAs) in various reproductive processes through conditional knockout of DICER, several studies have been conducted to investigate the expression pattern and role of miRNAs in ovarian follicular development, oocyte maturation, embryo development, embryo-maternal communication, pregnancy establishment and various reproductive diseases. Although advances in sequencing technology have fuelled miRNA studies in mammalian species, the presence of extracellular miRNAs in various biological fluids, including follicular fluid, blood plasma, urine and milk among others, has opened a new door in miRNA research for their use as diagnostic markers. This review presents data related to the identification and expression analysis of cellular miRNA in mammalian female fertility associated with ovarian folliculogenesis, oocyte maturation, preimplantation embryo development and embryo implantation. In addition, the relevance of miRNAs to female reproductive disorders, including polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), endometritis and abnormal pregnancies, is discussed for various mammalian species. Most importantly, the mechanism of release and the role of extracellular miRNAs in cell-cell communication and their potential role as non-invasive markers in female fertility are discussed in detail. Understanding this layer of regulation in female reproduction processes will pave the way to understanding the genetic regulation of female fertility in mammalian species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dawit Tesfaye
- Institute of Animal Science, Department of Animal Breeding and Husbandry, University of Bonn, Endenicher Allee 15, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Dessie Salilew-Wondim
- Institute of Animal Science, Department of Animal Breeding and Husbandry, University of Bonn, Endenicher Allee 15, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Samuel Gebremedhn
- Institute of Animal Science, Department of Animal Breeding and Husbandry, University of Bonn, Endenicher Allee 15, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Md Mahmodul Hasan Sohel
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Genome and Stem Cell Centre, Erciyes University, Kayseri 38039, Turkey
| | - Hari Om Pandey
- Institute of Animal Science, Department of Animal Breeding and Husbandry, University of Bonn, Endenicher Allee 15, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Michael Hoelker
- Institute of Animal Science, Department of Animal Breeding and Husbandry, University of Bonn, Endenicher Allee 15, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Karl Schellander
- Institute of Animal Science, Department of Animal Breeding and Husbandry, University of Bonn, Endenicher Allee 15, 53115 Bonn, Germany
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Gebert D, Hewel C, Rosenkranz D. unitas: the universal tool for annotation of small RNAs. BMC Genomics 2017; 18:644. [PMID: 28830358 PMCID: PMC5567656 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-017-4031-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2017] [Accepted: 08/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Next generation sequencing is a key technique in small RNA biology research that has led to the discovery of functionally different classes of small non-coding RNAs in the past years. However, reliable annotation of the extensive amounts of small non-coding RNA data produced by high-throughput sequencing is time-consuming and requires robust bioinformatics expertise. Moreover, existing tools have a number of shortcomings including a lack of sensitivity under certain conditions, limited number of supported species or detectable sub-classes of small RNAs. RESULTS Here we introduce unitas, an out-of-the-box ready software for complete annotation of small RNA sequence datasets, supporting the wide range of species for which non-coding RNA reference sequences are available in the Ensembl databases (currently more than 800). unitas combines high quality annotation and numerous analysis features in a user-friendly manner. A complete annotation can be started with one simple shell command, making unitas particularly useful for researchers not having access to a bioinformatics facility. Noteworthy, the algorithms implemented in unitas are on par or even outperform comparable existing tools for small RNA annotation that map to publicly available ncRNA databases. CONCLUSIONS unitas brings together annotation and analysis features that hitherto required the installation of numerous different bioinformatics tools which can pose a challenge for the non-expert user. With this, unitas overcomes the problem of read normalization. Moreover, the high quality of sequence annotation and analysis, paired with the ease of use, make unitas a valuable tool for researchers in all fields connected to small RNA biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Gebert
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolutionary Biology, Anthropology, Johannes Gutenberg University, 55099, Mainz, Germany
| | - Charlotte Hewel
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolutionary Biology, Anthropology, Johannes Gutenberg University, 55099, Mainz, Germany
| | - David Rosenkranz
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolutionary Biology, Anthropology, Johannes Gutenberg University, 55099, Mainz, Germany.
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38
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Paicu C, Mohorianu I, Stocks M, Xu P, Coince A, Billmeier M, Dalmay T, Moulton V, Moxon S. miRCat2: accurate prediction of plant and animal microRNAs from next-generation sequencing datasets. Bioinformatics 2017; 33:2446-2454. [PMID: 28407097 PMCID: PMC5870699 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btx210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2017] [Revised: 03/28/2017] [Accepted: 04/10/2017] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
MOTIVATION MicroRNAs are a class of ∼21-22 nt small RNAs which are excised from a stable hairpin-like secondary structure. They have important gene regulatory functions and are involved in many pathways including developmental timing, organogenesis and development in eukaryotes. There are several computational tools for miRNA detection from next-generation sequencing datasets. However, many of these tools suffer from high false positive and false negative rates. Here we present a novel miRNA prediction algorithm, miRCat2. miRCat2 incorporates a new entropy-based approach to detect miRNA loci, which is designed to cope with the high sequencing depth of current next-generation sequencing datasets. It has a user-friendly interface and produces graphical representations of the hairpin structure and plots depicting the alignment of sequences on the secondary structure. RESULTS We test miRCat2 on a number of animal and plant datasets and present a comparative analysis with miRCat, miRDeep2, miRPlant and miReap. We also use mutants in the miRNA biogenesis pathway to evaluate the predictions of these tools. Results indicate that miRCat2 has an improved accuracy compared with other methods tested. Moreover, miRCat2 predicts several new miRNAs that are differentially expressed in wild-type versus mutants in the miRNA biogenesis pathway. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION miRCat2 is part of the UEA small RNA Workbench and is freely available from http://srna-workbench.cmp.uea.ac.uk/. CONTACT v.moulton@uea.ac.uk or s.moxon@uea.ac.uk. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Paicu
- The Earlham Institute, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
- School of Computing Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Irina Mohorianu
- School of Computing Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Matthew Stocks
- School of Computing Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Ping Xu
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Aurore Coince
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Martina Billmeier
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Tamas Dalmay
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Vincent Moulton
- School of Computing Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Simon Moxon
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
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Paces J, Nic M, Novotny T, Svoboda P. Literature review of baseline information to support the risk assessment of RNAi‐based GM plants. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017. [PMCID: PMC7163844 DOI: 10.2903/sp.efsa.2017.en-1246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jan Paces
- Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic (IMG)
| | | | | | - Petr Svoboda
- Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic (IMG)
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40
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Tailing and degradation of Argonaute-bound small RNAs protect the genome from uncontrolled RNAi. Nat Commun 2017; 8:15332. [PMID: 28541282 PMCID: PMC5458512 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms15332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2016] [Accepted: 03/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
RNAi is a conserved mechanism in which small RNAs induce silencing of complementary targets. How Argonaute-bound small RNAs are targeted for degradation is not well understood. We show that the adenyl-transferase Cid14, a member of the TRAMP complex, and the uridyl-transferase Cid16 add non-templated nucleotides to Argonaute-bound small RNAs in fission yeast. The tailing of Argonaute-bound small RNAs recruits the 3'-5' exonuclease Rrp6 to degrade small RNAs. Failure in degradation of Argonaute-bound small RNAs results in accumulation of 'noise' small RNAs on Argonaute and targeting of diverse euchromatic genes by RNAi. To protect themselves from uncontrolled RNAi, cid14Δ cells exploit the RNAi machinery and silence genes essential for RNAi itself, which is required for their viability. Our data indicate that surveillance of Argonaute-bound small RNAs by Cid14/Cid16 and the exosome protects the genome from uncontrolled RNAi and reveal a rapid RNAi-based adaptation to stress conditions.
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Alptekin B, Langridge P, Budak H. Abiotic stress miRNomes in the Triticeae. Funct Integr Genomics 2017; 17:145-170. [PMID: 27665284 PMCID: PMC5383695 DOI: 10.1007/s10142-016-0525-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2016] [Revised: 09/02/2016] [Accepted: 09/09/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The continued growth in world population necessitates increases in both the quantity and quality of agricultural production. Triticeae members, particularly wheat and barley, make an important contribution to world food reserves by providing rich sources of carbohydrate and protein. These crops are grown over diverse production environments that are characterized by a range of environmental or abiotic stresses. Abiotic stresses such as drought, heat, salinity, or nutrient deficiencies and toxicities cause large yield losses resulting in economic and environmental damage. The negative effects of abiotic stresses have increased at an alarming rate in recent years and are predicted to further deteriorate due to climate change, land degradation, and declining water supply. New technologies have provided an important tool with great potential for improving crop tolerance to the abiotic stresses: microRNAs (miRNAs). miRNAs are small regulators of gene expression that act on many different molecular and biochemical processes such as development, environmental adaptation, and stress tolerance. miRNAs can act at both the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels, although post-transcriptional regulation is the most common in plants where miRNAs can inhibit the translation of their mRNA targets via complementary binding and cleavage. To date, expression of several miRNA families such as miR156, miR159, and miR398 has been detected as responsive to environmental conditions to regulate stress-associated molecular mechanisms individually and/or together with their various miRNA partners. Manipulation of these miRNAs and their targets may pave the way to improve crop performance under several abiotic stresses. Here, we summarize the current status of our knowledge on abiotic stress-associated miRNAs in members of the Triticeae tribe, specifically in wheat and barley, and the miRNA-based regulatory mechanisms triggered by stress conditions. Exploration of further miRNA families together with their functions under stress will improve our knowledge and provide opportunities to enhance plant performance to help us meet global food demand.
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Affiliation(s)
- Burcu Alptekin
- Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - Peter Langridge
- School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Hikmet Budak
- Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA.
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Rios C, Warren D, Olson B, Abbott AL. Functional analysis of microRNA pathway genes in the somatic gonad and germ cells during ovulation in C. elegans. Dev Biol 2017; 426:115-125. [PMID: 28461238 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2017.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2016] [Revised: 03/19/2017] [Accepted: 04/17/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression that play critical roles in animal development and physiology, though functions for most miRNAs remain unknown. Worms with reduced miRNA biogenesis due to loss of Drosha or Pasha/DGCR8 activity are sterile and fail to ovulate, indicating that miRNAs are required for the process of oocyte maturation and ovulation. Starting with this penetrant sterile phenotype and using new strains created to perform tissue specific RNAi, we characterized the roles of the C. elegans Pasha, pash-1, and two miRNA-specific Argonautes, alg-1 and alg-2, in somatic gonad cells and in germ cells in the regulation of ovulation. Conditional loss of pash-1 activity resulted in a reduced rate of ovulation and in basal and ovulatory sheath contractions. Similarly, knockdown of miRNA-specific Argonautes in the cells of the somatic gonad by tissue-specific RNAi results in a reduction of the ovulation rate and in basal and ovulatory sheath contractions. Reduced miRNA pathway gene activity resulted in a range of defects, including oocytes that were pinched upon entry of the oocyte into the distal end of the spermatheca in about 42% of the ovulation events observed following alg-1 RNAi. This phenotype was not observed on worms exposed to control RNAi. In contrast, knockdown of alg-1 and alg-2 in germ cells results in few defects in oocyte maturation and ovulation. These data identify specific steps in the process of ovulation that require miRNA pathway gene activity in the somatic gonad cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmela Rios
- Department of Biological Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI 53201, United States
| | - David Warren
- Department of Biological Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI 53201, United States
| | - Benjamin Olson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI 53201, United States
| | - Allison L Abbott
- Department of Biological Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI 53201, United States.
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43
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Differential processing of small RNAs during endoplasmic reticulum stress. Sci Rep 2017; 7:46080. [PMID: 28452371 PMCID: PMC5408347 DOI: 10.1038/srep46080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2016] [Accepted: 03/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The accumulation of misfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) lumen due to the disruption of the homeostatic system of the ER leads to the induction of the ER stress response. Cellular stress-induced pathways globally transform genes expression on both the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels with small RNA involvement as regulators of the stress response. The modulation of small RNA processing might represent an additional layer of a complex stress response program. However, it is poorly understood. Here, we studied changes in expression and small RNAs processing upon ER stress in Jurkat T-cells. Induced by ER-stress, depletion of miRNAs among small RNA composition was accompanied by a global decrease of 3′ mono-adenylated, mono-cytodinylated and a global increase of 3′ mono-uridinylated miRNA isoforms. We observed the specific subset of differentially expressed microRNAs, and also the dramatic induction of 32-nt tRNA fragments precisely phased to 5′ and 3′ ends of tRNA from a subset of tRNA isotypes. The induction of these tRNA fragments was linked to Angiogenin RNase, which mediates translation inhibition. Overall, the global perturbations of the expression and processing of miRNAs and tiRNAs were the most prominent features of small RNA transcriptome changes upon ER stress.
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Kim B, Jeong K, Kim VN. Genome-wide Mapping of DROSHA Cleavage Sites on Primary MicroRNAs and Noncanonical Substrates. Mol Cell 2017; 66:258-269.e5. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2017.03.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2016] [Revised: 01/24/2017] [Accepted: 03/17/2017] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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Dynamics of miRNA transcriptome during gonadal development of zebrafish. Sci Rep 2017; 7:43850. [PMID: 28262836 PMCID: PMC5338332 DOI: 10.1038/srep43850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2016] [Accepted: 01/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies in non-teleost vertebrates have found microRNAs (miRNAs) to be essential for proper gonadal development. However, comparatively little is known about their role during gonadal development in teleost fishes. So far in zebrafish, a model teleost, transcript profiling throughout gonadal development has not been established because of a tiny size of an organ in juvenile stages and its poor distinguishability from surrounding tissues. We performed small RNA sequencing on isolated gonads of See-Thru-Gonad line, from the undifferentiated state at 3 weeks post fertilization (wpf) to fully mature adults at 24 wpf. We identified 520 gonadal mature miRNAs; 111 of them had significant changes in abundance over time, while 50 miRNAs were either testis- or ovary-enriched significantly in at least one developmental stage. We characterized patterns of miRNA abundance over time including isomiR variants. We identified putative germline versus gonadal somatic miRNAs through differential small RNA sequencing of isolated gametes versus the whole gonads. This report is the most comprehensive analysis of the miRNA repertoire in zebrafish gonads during the sexual development to date and provides an important database from which functional studies can be performed.
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Lim MYT, Okamura K. Switches in Dicer Activity During Oogenesis and Early Development. Results Probl Cell Differ 2017; 63:325-351. [PMID: 28779324 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-60855-6_14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Dicer is a versatile protein regulating diverse biological processes via the production of multiple classes of small regulatory RNAs, including microRNAs (miRNAs) and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs). In this chapter, we will discuss roles for Dicer in driving temporal changes in activity of individual small RNA classes to support oogenesis and early embryogenesis. Genetic strategies that perturb particular functions of Dicer family proteins, such as ablation of individual Dicer paralogs or their binding partners as well as introduction of point mutations to individual domains, allowed the dissection of Dicer functions in diverse small RNA pathways. Evolutionary conservation and divergence of the mechanisms highlight the importance of Dicer versatility in supporting rapid changes in gene expression during oogenesis and early development. Furthermore, we will discuss potential roles of Dicer in transgenerational inheritance of small RNA-mediated gene regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mandy Yu Theng Lim
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, National University of Singapore, 1 Research Link, Singapore, 117604, Singapore
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore, 639798, Singapore
| | - Katsutomo Okamura
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, National University of Singapore, 1 Research Link, Singapore, 117604, Singapore.
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore, 639798, Singapore.
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Abstract
Until the zygotic genome is activated, early development relies on the products deposited by the mother. Once the zygotic genome starts to be transcribed, most maternal products are not needed anymore by the developing embryo. This emancipation from the maternal genome occurs during the Zygotic Genome Activation (ZGA). Although the process by which the maternal content is replaced with zygotic products differs from species to species, there is a common theme to all of them: maternal transcripts are actively degraded. Here, a review of how the degradation of maternal RNAs is regulated during early development and discussions on some computational tools that may be of use in this research area are outlined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Marco
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, UK.
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Svoboda P, Fulka H, Malik R. Clearance of Parental Products. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2016; 953:489-535. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-46095-6_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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The Smaug RNA-Binding Protein Is Essential for microRNA Synthesis During the Drosophila Maternal-to-Zygotic Transition. G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS 2016; 6:3541-3551. [PMID: 27591754 PMCID: PMC5100853 DOI: 10.1534/g3.116.034199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Metazoan embryos undergo a maternal-to-zygotic transition (MZT) during which maternal gene products are eliminated and the zygotic genome becomes transcriptionally active. During this process, RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) and the microRNA-induced silencing complex (miRISC) target maternal mRNAs for degradation. In Drosophila, the Smaug (SMG), Brain tumor (BRAT), and Pumilio (PUM) RBPs bind to and direct the degradation of largely distinct subsets of maternal mRNAs. SMG has also been shown to be required for zygotic synthesis of mRNAs and several members of the miR-309 family of microRNAs (miRNAs) during the MZT. Here, we have carried out global analysis of small RNAs both in wild-type and in smg mutants. Our results show that 85% of all miRNA species encoded by the genome are present during the MZT. Whereas loss of SMG has no detectable effect on Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) or small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), zygotic production of more than 70 species of miRNAs fails or is delayed in smg mutants. SMG is also required for the synthesis and stability of a key miRISC component, Argonaute 1 (AGO1), but plays no role in accumulation of the Argonaute family proteins associated with piRNAs or siRNAs. In smg mutants, maternal mRNAs that are predicted targets of the SMG-dependent zygotic miRNAs fail to be cleared. BRAT and PUM share target mRNAs with these miRNAs but not with SMG itself. We hypothesize that SMG controls the MZT, not only through direct targeting of a subset of maternal mRNAs for degradation but, indirectly, through production and function of miRNAs and miRISC, which act together with BRAT and/or PUM to control clearance of a distinct subset of maternal mRNAs.
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50
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Chung CZ, Jo DHS, Heinemann IU. Nucleotide specificity of the human terminal nucleotidyltransferase Gld2 (TUT2). RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2016; 22:1239-49. [PMID: 27284165 PMCID: PMC4931116 DOI: 10.1261/rna.056077.116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2016] [Accepted: 05/05/2016] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
The nontemplated addition of single or multiple nucleotides to RNA transcripts is an efficient means to control RNA stability and processing. Cytoplasmic RNA adenylation and the less well-known uridylation are post-transcriptional mechanisms regulating RNA maturation, activity, and degradation. Gld2 is a member of the noncanonical poly(A) polymerases, which include enzymes with varying nucleotide specificity, ranging from strictly ATP to ambiguous to exclusive UTP adding enzymes. Human Gld2 has been associated with transcript stabilizing miRNA monoadenylation and cytoplasmic mRNA polyadenylation. Most recent data have uncovered an unexpected miRNA uridylation activity, which promotes miRNA maturation. These conflicting data raise the question of Gld2 nucleotide specificity. Here, we biochemically characterized human Gld2 and demonstrated that it is a bona fide adenylyltransferase with only weak activity toward other nucleotides. Despite its sequence similarity with uridylyltransferases (TUT4, TUT7), Gld2 displays an 83-fold preference of ATP over UTP. Gld2 is a promiscuous enzyme, with activity toward miRNA, pre-miRNA, and polyadenylated RNA substrates. Apo-Gld2 activity is restricted to adding single nucleotides and processivity likely relies on additional RNA-binding proteins. A phylogeny of the PAP/TUTase superfamily suggests that uridylyltransferases, which are derived from distinct adenylyltransferase ancestors, arose multiple times during evolution via insertion of an active site histidine. A corresponding histidine insertion into the Gld2 active site alters substrate specificity from ATP to UTP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Z Chung
- Department of Biochemistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5C1, Canada
| | - David Hyung Suk Jo
- Department of Biochemistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5C1, Canada
| | - Ilka U Heinemann
- Department of Biochemistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5C1, Canada
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