1
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Srivastav SP, Feschotte C, Clark AG. Rapid evolution of piRNA clusters in the Drosophila melanogaster ovary. Genome Res 2024; 34:711-724. [PMID: 38749655 PMCID: PMC11216404 DOI: 10.1101/gr.278062.123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/28/2024]
Abstract
The piRNA pathway is a highly conserved mechanism to repress transposable element (TE) activity in the animal germline via a specialized class of small RNAs called piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs). piRNAs are produced from discrete genomic regions called piRNA clusters (piCs). Although the molecular processes by which piCs function are relatively well understood in Drosophila melanogaster, much less is known about the origin and evolution of piCs in this or any other species. To investigate piC origin and evolution, we use a population genomic approach to compare piC activity and sequence composition across eight geographically distant strains of D. melanogaster with high-quality long-read genome assemblies. We perform annotations of ovary piCs and genome-wide TE content in each strain. Our analysis uncovers extensive variation in piC activity across strains and signatures of rapid birth and death of piCs. Most TEs inferred to be recently active show an enrichment of insertions into old and large piCs, consistent with the previously proposed "trap" model of piC evolution. In contrast, a small subset of active LTR families is enriched for the formation of new piCs, suggesting that these TEs have higher proclivity to form piCs. Thus, our findings uncover processes leading to the origin of piCs. We propose that piC evolution begins with the emergence of piRNAs from individual insertions of a few select TE families prone to seed new piCs that subsequently expand by accretion of insertions from most other TE families during evolution to form larger "trap" clusters. Our study shows that TEs themselves are the major force driving the rapid evolution of piCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satyam P Srivastav
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA
| | - Cédric Feschotte
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA
| | - Andrew G Clark
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA
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2
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Chen P, Pan KC, Park EH, Luo Y, Lee YCG, Aravin AA. Escalation of genome defense capacity enables control of an expanding meiotic driver. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.12.598716. [PMID: 38915551 PMCID: PMC11195268 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.12.598716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
From RNA interference to chromatin silencing, diverse genome defense pathways silence selfish genetic elements to safeguard genome integrity1,2. Despite their diversity, different defense pathways share a modular organization, where numerous specificity factors identify diverse targets and common effectors silence them. In the PIWI-interacting RNA (piRNA) pathway, which controls selfish elements in the metazoan germline, diverse target RNAs are first identified by complementary base pairing with piRNAs and then silenced by PIWI-clade nucleases via enzymatic cleavage1,3. Such a binary architecture allows the defense systems to be readily adaptable, where new targets can be captured via the innovation of new specificity factors4,5. Thus, our current understanding of genome defense against lineage-specific selfish genes has been largely limited to the evolution of specificity factors, while it remains poorly understood whether other types of innovations are required. Here, we describe a new type of innovation, which escalates the defense capacity of the piRNA pathway to control a recently expanded selfish gene in Drosophila melanogaster. Through an in vivo RNAi screen for repressors of Stellate-a recently evolved and expanded selfish meiotic driver6-8-we discovered a novel defense factor, Trailblazer. Trailblazer is a transcription factor that promotes the expression of two PIWI-clade nucleases, Aub and AGO3, to match Stellate in abundance. Recent innovation in the DNA-binding domain of Trailblazer enabled it to drastically elevate Aub and AGO3 expression in the D. melanogaster lineage, thereby escalating the silencing capacity of the piRNA pathway to control expanded Stellate and safeguard fertility. As copy-number expansion is a recurrent feature of diverse selfish genes across the tree of life9-12, we envision that augmenting the defense capacity to quantitatively match selfish genes is likely a repeatedly employed defense strategy in evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peiwei Chen
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA
| | - Katherine C. Pan
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA
| | - Eunice H. Park
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA
| | - Yicheng Luo
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA
| | - Yuh Chwen G. Lee
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, USA
| | - Alexei A. Aravin
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA
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3
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Kotov AA, Adashev VE, Kombarov IA, Bazylev SS, Shatskikh AS, Olenina LV. Molecular Insights into Female Hybrid Sterility in Interspecific Crosses between Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila simulans. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:5681. [PMID: 38891872 PMCID: PMC11172174 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25115681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2024] [Revised: 05/19/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Species of the genus Drosophila have served as favorite models in speciation studies; however, genetic factors of interspecific reproductive incompatibility are under-investigated. Here, we performed an analysis of hybrid female sterility by crossing Drosophila melanogaster females and Drosophila simulans males. Using transcriptomic data analysis and molecular, cellular, and genetic approaches, we analyzed differential gene expression, transposable element (TE) activity, piRNA biogenesis, and functional defects of oogenesis in hybrids. Premature germline stem cell loss was the most prominent defect of oogenesis in hybrid ovaries. Because of the differential expression of genes encoding piRNA pathway components, rhino and deadlock, the functional RDCmel complex in hybrid ovaries was not assembled. However, the activity of the RDCsim complex was maintained in hybrids independent of the genomic origin of piRNA clusters. Despite the identification of a cohort of overexpressed TEs in hybrid ovaries, we found no evidence that their activity can be considered the main cause of hybrid sterility. We revealed a complicated pattern of Vasa protein expression in the hybrid germline, including partial AT-chX piRNA targeting of the vasasim allele and a significant zygotic delay in vasamel expression. We arrived at the conclusion that the hybrid sterility phenotype was caused by intricate multi-locus differences between the species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexei A. Kotov
- Department of Molecular Mechanisms for Realization of Genetic Information, National Research Centre “Kurchatov Institute”, Moscow 123182, Russia; (A.A.K.); (V.E.A.); (S.S.B.)
- Laboratory of Functional Genomics, Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119334, Russia; (I.A.K.); (A.S.S.)
| | - Vladimir E. Adashev
- Department of Molecular Mechanisms for Realization of Genetic Information, National Research Centre “Kurchatov Institute”, Moscow 123182, Russia; (A.A.K.); (V.E.A.); (S.S.B.)
- Laboratory of Functional Genomics, Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119334, Russia; (I.A.K.); (A.S.S.)
| | - Ilia A. Kombarov
- Laboratory of Functional Genomics, Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119334, Russia; (I.A.K.); (A.S.S.)
| | - Sergei S. Bazylev
- Department of Molecular Mechanisms for Realization of Genetic Information, National Research Centre “Kurchatov Institute”, Moscow 123182, Russia; (A.A.K.); (V.E.A.); (S.S.B.)
- Laboratory of Functional Genomics, Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119334, Russia; (I.A.K.); (A.S.S.)
| | - Aleksei S. Shatskikh
- Laboratory of Functional Genomics, Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119334, Russia; (I.A.K.); (A.S.S.)
| | - Ludmila V. Olenina
- Department of Molecular Mechanisms for Realization of Genetic Information, National Research Centre “Kurchatov Institute”, Moscow 123182, Russia; (A.A.K.); (V.E.A.); (S.S.B.)
- Laboratory of Functional Genomics, Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119334, Russia; (I.A.K.); (A.S.S.)
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4
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Courret C, Wei X, Larracuente AM. New perspectives on the causes and consequences of male meiotic drive. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2023; 83:102111. [PMID: 37704518 PMCID: PMC10842977 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2023.102111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023]
Abstract
Gametogenesis is vulnerable to selfish genetic elements that bias their transmission to the next generation by cheating meiosis. These so-called meiotic drivers are widespread in plants, animals, and fungi and can impact genome evolution. Here, we summarize recent progress on the causes and consequences of meiotic drive in males, where selfish elements attack vulnerabilities in spermatogenesis. Advances in genomics provide new insights into the organization and dynamics of driving chromosomes in natural populations. Common themes, including small RNAs, gene duplications, and heterochromatin, emerged from these studies. Interdisciplinary approaches combining evolutionary genomics with molecular and cell biology are beginning to unravel the mysteries of drive and suppression mechanisms. These approaches also provide insights into fundamental processes in spermatogenesis and chromatin regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cécile Courret
- Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA. https://twitter.com/@CecileCourret
| | - Xiaolu Wei
- Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA. https://twitter.com/@xiaolu_wei
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5
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Wu Z, Yu X, Zhang S, He Y, Guo W. Novel roles of PIWI proteins and PIWI-interacting RNAs in human health and diseases. Cell Commun Signal 2023; 21:343. [PMID: 38031146 PMCID: PMC10685540 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-023-01368-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Non-coding RNA has aroused great research interest recently, they play a wide range of biological functions, such as regulating cell cycle, cell proliferation, and intracellular substance metabolism. Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are emerging small non-coding RNAs that are 24-31 nucleotides in length. Previous studies on piRNAs were mainly limited to evaluating the binding to the PIWI protein family to play the biological role. However, recent studies have shed more lights on piRNA functions; aberrant piRNAs play unique roles in many human diseases, including diverse lethal cancers. Therefore, understanding the mechanism of piRNAs expression and the specific functional roles of piRNAs in human diseases is crucial for developing its clinical applications. Presently, research on piRNAs mainly focuses on their cancer-specific functions but lacks investigation of their expressions and epigenetic modifications. This review discusses piRNA's biogenesis and functional roles and the recent progress of functions of piRNA/PIWI protein complexes in human diseases. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeyu Wu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
- Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation of Henan Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
- Open and Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation at Henan Universities, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Digestive Organ Transplantation, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
| | - Xiao Yu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
- Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation of Henan Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
- Open and Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation at Henan Universities, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Digestive Organ Transplantation, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
| | - Shuijun Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
- Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation of Henan Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
- Open and Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation at Henan Universities, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Digestive Organ Transplantation, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
| | - Yuting He
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.
- Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation of Henan Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.
- Open and Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation at Henan Universities, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.
- Henan Key Laboratory of Digestive Organ Transplantation, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.
| | - Wenzhi Guo
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.
- Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation of Henan Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.
- Open and Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation at Henan Universities, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.
- Henan Key Laboratory of Digestive Organ Transplantation, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.
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6
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Martí E, Larracuente AM. Genetic conflict and the origin of multigene families: implications for sex chromosome evolution. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20231823. [PMID: 37909083 PMCID: PMC10618873 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.1823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Sex chromosomes are havens for intragenomic conflicts. The absence of recombination between sex chromosomes creates the opportunity for the evolution of segregation distorters: selfish genetic elements that hijack different aspects of an individual's reproduction to increase their own transmission. Biased (non-Mendelian) segregation, however, often occurs at a detriment to their host's fitness, and therefore can trigger evolutionary arms races that can have major consequences for genome structure and regulation, gametogenesis, reproductive strategies and even speciation. Here, we review an emerging feature from comparative genomic and sex chromosome evolution studies suggesting that meiotic drive is pervasive: the recurrent evolution of paralogous sex-linked gene families. Sex chromosomes of several species independently acquire and co-amplify rapidly evolving gene families with spermatogenesis-related functions, consistent with a history of intragenomic conflict over transmission. We discuss Y chromosome features that might contribute to the tempo and mode of evolution of X/Y co-amplified gene families, as well as their implications for the evolution of complexity in the genome. Finally, we propose a framework that explores the conditions that might allow for recurrent bouts of fixation of drivers and suppressors, in a dosage-sensitive fashion, and therefore the co-amplification of multigene families on sex chromosomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emiliano Martí
- Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA
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7
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Bodelón A, Fablet M, Siqueira de Oliveira D, Vieira C, García Guerreiro MP. Impact of Heat Stress on Transposable Element Expression and Derived Small RNAs in Drosophila subobscura. Genome Biol Evol 2023; 15:evad189. [PMID: 37847062 PMCID: PMC10627563 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evad189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Global warming is forcing insect populations to move and adapt, triggering adaptive genetic responses. Thermal stress is known to alter gene expression, repressing the transcription of active genes, and inducing others, such as those encoding heat shock proteins. It has also been related to the activation of some specific transposable element (TE) families. However, the actual magnitude of this stress on the whole genome and the factors involved in these genomic changes are still unclear. We studied mRNAs and small RNAs in gonads of two Drosophila subobscura populations, considered a good model to study adaptation to temperature changes. In control conditions, we found that a few genes and TE families were differentially expressed between populations, pointing out their putative involvement in the adaptation of populations to their different environments. Under heat stress, sex-specific changes in gene expression together with a trend toward overexpression, mainly of heat shock response-related genes, were observed. We did not observe large changes of TE expression nor small RNA production due to stress. Only population and sex-specific expression changes of some TE families (mainly retrotransposons), or the amounts of siRNAs and piRNAs, derived from specific TE families were observed, as well as the piRNA production from some piRNA clusters. Changes in small RNA amounts and TE expression could not be clearly correlated, indicating that other factors as chromatin modulation could also be involved. This work provides the first whole transcriptomic study including genes, TEs, and small RNAs after a heat stress in D. subobscura.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandra Bodelón
- Grup de Genòmica, Bioinformática i Biologia Evolutiva, Departament de Genètica i Microbiologia (Edifici C), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marie Fablet
- Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive, Université de Lyon; Université Lyon 1; CNRS; UMR 5558, Villeurbanne, France
- Institut universitaire de France, Paris, France
| | - Daniel Siqueira de Oliveira
- Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive, Université de Lyon; Université Lyon 1; CNRS; UMR 5558, Villeurbanne, France
- Institute of Biosciences, Humanities and Exact Sciences, São Paulo State University (Unesp), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Cristina Vieira
- Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive, Université de Lyon; Université Lyon 1; CNRS; UMR 5558, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Maria Pilar García Guerreiro
- Grup de Genòmica, Bioinformática i Biologia Evolutiva, Departament de Genètica i Microbiologia (Edifici C), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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8
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Venkei ZG, Gainetdinov I, Bagci A, Starostik MR, Choi CP, Fingerhut JM, Chen P, Balsara C, Whitfield TW, Bell GW, Feng S, Jacobsen SE, Aravin AA, Kim JK, Zamore PD, Yamashita YM. A maternally programmed intergenerational mechanism enables male offspring to make piRNAs from Y-linked precursor RNAs in Drosophila. Nat Cell Biol 2023; 25:1495-1505. [PMID: 37723298 PMCID: PMC10567549 DOI: 10.1038/s41556-023-01227-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
In animals, PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) direct PIWI proteins to silence complementary targets such as transposons. In Drosophila and other species with a maternally specified germline, piRNAs deposited in the egg initiate piRNA biogenesis in the progeny. However, Y chromosome loci cannot participate in such a chain of intergenerational inheritance. How then can the biogenesis of Y-linked piRNAs be initiated? Here, using Suppressor of Stellate (Su(Ste)), a Y-linked Drosophila melanogaster piRNA locus as a model, we show that Su(Ste) piRNAs are made in the early male germline via 5'-to-3' phased piRNA biogenesis initiated by maternally deposited 1360/Hoppel transposon piRNAs. Notably, deposition of Su(Ste) piRNAs from XXY mothers obviates the need for phased piRNA biogenesis in sons. Together, our study uncovers a developmentally programmed, intergenerational mechanism that allows fly mothers to protect their sons using a Y-linked piRNA locus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zsolt G Venkei
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Ildar Gainetdinov
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Ayca Bagci
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | | | - Charlotte P Choi
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jaclyn M Fingerhut
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Whitehead Institute, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Peiwei Chen
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Chiraag Balsara
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Troy W Whitfield
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - George W Bell
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Suhua Feng
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Eli and Edyth Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Steven E Jacobsen
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Eli and Edyth Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Alexei A Aravin
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - John K Kim
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Phillip D Zamore
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA.
| | - Yukiko M Yamashita
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Whitehead Institute, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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9
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Iki T, Kawaguchi S, Kai T. miRNA/siRNA-directed pathway to produce noncoding piRNAs from endogenous protein-coding regions ensures Drosophila spermatogenesis. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadh0397. [PMID: 37467338 PMCID: PMC10355832 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adh0397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023]
Abstract
PIWI-interacting RNA (piRNA) pathways control transposable elements (TEs) and endogenous genes, playing important roles in animal gamete formation. However, the underlying piRNA biogenesis mechanisms remain elusive. Here, we show that endogenous protein coding sequences (CDSs), which are normally used for translation, serve as origins of noncoding piRNA biogenesis in Drosophila melanogaster testes. The product, namely, CDS-piRNAs, formed silencing complexes with Aubergine (Aub) in germ cells. Proximity proteome and functional analyses show that CDS-piRNAs and cluster/TE-piRNAs are distinct species occupying Aub, the former loading selectively relies on chaperone Cyclophilin 40. Moreover, Argonaute 2 (Ago2) and Dicer-2 activities were found critical for CDS-piRNA production. We provide evidence that Ago2-bound short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) specify precursors to be processed into piRNAs. We further demonstrate that Aub is crucial in spermatid differentiation, regulating chromatins through mRNA cleavage. Collectively, our data illustrate a unique strategy used by male germ line, expanding piRNA repertoire for silencing of endogenous genes during spermatogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Shinichi Kawaguchi
- Laboratory of Germline Biology, Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, Yamadaoka1-3, Suita, Osaka, Japan
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10
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Adashev VE, Kotov AA, Olenina LV. RNA Helicase Vasa as a Multifunctional Conservative Regulator of Gametogenesis in Eukaryotes. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2023; 45:5677-5705. [PMID: 37504274 PMCID: PMC10378496 DOI: 10.3390/cimb45070358] [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: 06/18/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Being a conservative marker of germ cells across metazoan species, DEAD box RNA helicase Vasa (DDX4) remains the subject of worldwide investigations thanks to its multiple functional manifestations. Vasa takes part in the preformation of primordial germ cells in a group of organisms and contributes to the maintenance of germline stem cells. Vasa is an essential player in the piRNA-mediated silencing of harmful genomic elements and in the translational regulation of selected mRNAs. Vasa is the top hierarchical protein of germ granules, liquid droplet organelles that compartmentalize RNA processing factors. Here, we survey current advances and problems in the understanding of the multifaceted functions of Vasa proteins in the gametogenesis of different eukaryotic organisms, from nematodes to humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladimir E Adashev
- Department of Molecular Mechanisms for Realization of Genetic Information, Laboratory of Biochemical Genetics of Animals, National Research Center "Kurchatov Institute", Kurchatov Sq. 1, 123182 Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexei A Kotov
- Department of Molecular Mechanisms for Realization of Genetic Information, Laboratory of Biochemical Genetics of Animals, National Research Center "Kurchatov Institute", Kurchatov Sq. 1, 123182 Moscow, Russia
| | - Ludmila V Olenina
- Department of Molecular Mechanisms for Realization of Genetic Information, Laboratory of Biochemical Genetics of Animals, National Research Center "Kurchatov Institute", Kurchatov Sq. 1, 123182 Moscow, Russia
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11
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Gainetdinov I, Vega-Badillo J, Cecchini K, Bagci A, Colpan C, De D, Bailey S, Arif A, Wu PH, MacRae IJ, Zamore PD. Relaxed targeting rules help PIWI proteins silence transposons. Nature 2023:10.1038/s41586-023-06257-4. [PMID: 37344600 PMCID: PMC10338343 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06257-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023]
Abstract
In eukaryotes, small RNA guides, such as small interfering RNAs and microRNAs, direct AGO-clade Argonaute proteins to regulate gene expression and defend the genome against external threats. Only animals make a second clade of Argonaute proteins: PIWI proteins. PIWI proteins use PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) to repress complementary transposon transcripts1,2. In theory, transposons could evade silencing through target site mutations that reduce piRNA complementarity. Here we report that, unlike AGO proteins, PIWI proteins efficiently cleave transcripts that are only partially paired to their piRNA guides. Examination of target binding and cleavage by mouse and sponge PIWI proteins revealed that PIWI slicing tolerates mismatches to any target nucleotide, including those flanking the scissile phosphate. Even canonical seed pairing is dispensable for PIWI binding or cleavage, unlike plant and animal AGOs, which require uninterrupted target pairing from the seed to the nucleotides past the scissile bond3,4. PIWI proteins are therefore better equipped than AGO proteins to target newly acquired or rapidly diverging endogenous transposons without recourse to new small RNA guides. Conversely, the minimum requirements for PIWI slicing are sufficient to avoid inadvertent silencing of host RNAs. Our results demonstrate the biological advantage of PIWI over AGO proteins in defending the genome against transposons and suggest an explanation for why the piRNA pathway was retained in animal evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ildar Gainetdinov
- RNA Therapeutics Institute and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA.
| | - Joel Vega-Badillo
- RNA Therapeutics Institute and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Katharine Cecchini
- RNA Therapeutics Institute and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Ayca Bagci
- RNA Therapeutics Institute and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Cansu Colpan
- RNA Therapeutics Institute and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
- Voyager Therapeutics, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Dipayan De
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Shannon Bailey
- RNA Therapeutics Institute and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Amena Arif
- RNA Therapeutics Institute and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
- Beam Therapeutics, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Pei-Hsuan Wu
- RNA Therapeutics Institute and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
- University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Ian J MacRae
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Phillip D Zamore
- RNA Therapeutics Institute and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA.
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12
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Pozmanter C, Van Doren M. Germline sex determination: How males and females tame transposons in their own ways. Curr Biol 2023; 33:R442-R444. [PMID: 37279665 PMCID: PMC10436265 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The piRNA pathway represses transposon activity to protect the germline genome for future generations. A new study shows how germline sex determination influences the production of different piRNAs in male and female germ cells.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mark Van Doren
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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13
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Chen P, Aravin AA. Genetic control of a sex-specific piRNA program. Curr Biol 2023; 33:1825-1835.e3. [PMID: 37059098 PMCID: PMC10431932 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.03.057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2023]
Abstract
Sexually dimorphic traits in morphologies are widely studied,1,2,3,4 but those in essential molecular pathways remain largely unexplored. Previous work showed substantial sex differences in Drosophila gonadal piRNAs,5 which guide PIWI proteins to silence selfish genetic elements, thereby safeguarding fertility.6,7,8 However, the genetic control mechanisms of piRNA sexual dimorphism remain unknown. Here, we showed that most sex differences in the piRNA program originate from the germ line rather than the gonadal somatic cells. Building on this, we dissected the contribution of sex chromosomes and cellular sexual identity toward the sex-specific germline piRNA program. We found that the presence of the Y chromosome is sufficient to recapitulate some aspects of the male piRNA program in a female cellular environment. Meanwhile, sexual identity controls the sexually divergent piRNA production from X-linked and autosomal loci, revealing a crucial input from sex determination into piRNA biogenesis. Sexual identity regulates piRNA biogenesis through Sxl, and this effect is mediated, in part, through chromatin proteins Phf7 and Kipferl. Together, our work delineated the genetic control of a sex-specific piRNA program, where sex chromosomes and sexual identity collectively sculpt an essential molecular trait.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peiwei Chen
- California Institute of Technology, Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.
| | - Alexei A Aravin
- California Institute of Technology, Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.
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14
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Park JI, Bell GW, Yamashita YM. Derepression of Y-linked multicopy protamine-like genes interferes with sperm nuclear compaction in D. melanogaster. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2220576120. [PMID: 37036962 PMCID: PMC10120018 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2220576120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Across species, sperm maturation involves the dramatic reconfiguration of chromatin into highly compact nuclei that enhance hydrodynamic ability and ensure paternal genomic integrity. This process is mediated by the replacement of histones by sperm nuclear basic proteins, also referred to as protamines. In humans, a carefully balanced dosage between two known protamine genes is required for optimal fertility. However, it remains unknown how their proper balance is regulated and how defects in balance may lead to compromised fertility. Here, we show that a nucleolar protein, modulo, a homolog of nucleolin, mediates the histone-to-protamine transition during Drosophila spermatogenesis. We find that modulo mutants display nuclear compaction defects during late spermatogenesis due to decreased expression of autosomal protamine genes (including Mst77F) and derepression of Y-linked multicopy Mst77F homologs (Mst77Y), leading to the mutant's known sterility. Overexpression of Mst77Y in a wild-type background is sufficient to cause nuclear compaction defects, similar to modulo mutant, indicating that Mst77Y is a dominant-negative variant interfering with the process of histone-to-protamine transition. Interestingly, ectopic overexpression of Mst77Y caused decompaction of X-bearing spermatids nuclei more frequently than Y-bearing spermatid nuclei, although this did not greatly affect the sex ratio of offspring. We further show that modulo regulates these protamine genes at the step of transcript polyadenylation. We conclude that the regulation of protamines mediated by modulo, ensuring the expression of functional ones while repressing dominant-negative ones, is critical for male fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun I. Park
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI48109
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI48109
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI48109
| | - George W. Bell
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA02142
| | - Yukiko M. Yamashita
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA02142
- Department of Biology, School of Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA02142
- HHMI, Cambridge, MA02142
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15
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Casier K, Autaa J, Gueguen N, Delmarre V, Marie PP, Ronsseray S, Carré C, Brasset E, Teysset L, Boivin A. The histone demethylase Kdm3 prevents auto-immune piRNAs production in Drosophila. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eade3872. [PMID: 37027460 PMCID: PMC10081847 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ade3872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Genome integrity of the animal germline is protected from transposable element activity by PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs). While piRNA biogenesis is intensively explored, little is known about the genetical determination of piRNA clusters, the genomic sources of piRNAs. Using a bimodal epigenetic state piRNA cluster (BX2), we identified the histone demethylase Kdm3 as being able to prevent a cryptic piRNA production. In the absence of Kdm3, dozens of coding gene-containing regions become genuine germline dual-strand piRNA clusters. Eggs laid by Kdm3 mutant females show developmental defects phenocopying loss of function of genes embedded into the additional piRNA clusters, suggesting an inheritance of functional ovarian "auto-immune" piRNAs. Antagonizing piRNA cluster determination through chromatin modifications appears crucial to prevent auto-immune genic piRNAs production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karine Casier
- Transgenerational Epigenetics and Small RNA Biology, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, Laboratoire Biologie du Développement, UMR7622, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Julie Autaa
- Transgenerational Epigenetics and Small RNA Biology, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, Laboratoire Biologie du Développement, UMR7622, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Nathalie Gueguen
- iGReD, CNRS, INSERM, Faculté de Médecine, Université Clermont Auvergne, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Valérie Delmarre
- Transgenerational Epigenetics and Small RNA Biology, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, Laboratoire Biologie du Développement, UMR7622, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Pauline P. Marie
- Transgenerational Epigenetics and Small RNA Biology, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, Laboratoire Biologie du Développement, UMR7622, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Stéphane Ronsseray
- Transgenerational Epigenetics and Small RNA Biology, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, Laboratoire Biologie du Développement, UMR7622, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Clément Carré
- Transgenerational Epigenetics and Small RNA Biology, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, Laboratoire Biologie du Développement, UMR7622, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Emilie Brasset
- iGReD, CNRS, INSERM, Faculté de Médecine, Université Clermont Auvergne, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Laure Teysset
- Transgenerational Epigenetics and Small RNA Biology, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, Laboratoire Biologie du Développement, UMR7622, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Antoine Boivin
- Transgenerational Epigenetics and Small RNA Biology, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, Laboratoire Biologie du Développement, UMR7622, F-75005 Paris, France
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16
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Wang L, Zhang S, Hadjipanteli S, Saiz L, Nguyen L, Silva E, Kelleher E. P-element invasion fuels molecular adaptation in laboratory populations of Drosophila melanogaster. Evolution 2023; 77:980-994. [PMID: 36749648 PMCID: PMC10078945 DOI: 10.1093/evolut/qpad017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Revised: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) are mobile genetic parasites that frequently invade new host genomes through horizontal transfer. Invading TEs often exhibit a burst of transposition, followed by reduced transposition rates as repression evolves in the host. We recreated the horizontal transfer of P-element DNA transposons into a Drosophila melanogaster host and followed the expansion of TE copies and evolution of host repression in replicate laboratory populations reared at different temperatures. We observed that while populations maintained at high temperatures rapidly go extinct after TE invasion, those maintained at lower temperatures persist, allowing for TE spread and the evolution of host repression. We also surprisingly discovered that invaded populations experienced recurrent insertion of P-elements into a specific long non-coding RNA, lncRNA:CR43651, and that these insertion alleles are segregating at unusually high frequency in experimental populations, indicative of positive selection. We propose that, in addition to driving the evolution of repression, transpositional bursts of invading TEs can drive molecular adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luyang Wang
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Shuo Zhang
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Savana Hadjipanteli
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Lorissa Saiz
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Lisa Nguyen
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Efren Silva
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Erin Kelleher
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX, United States
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17
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Qu J, Betting V, van Iterson R, Kwaschik FM, van Rij RP. Chromatin profiling identifies transcriptional readthrough as a conserved mechanism for piRNA biogenesis in mosquitoes. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112257. [PMID: 36930642 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112257] [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: 09/16/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The piRNA pathway in mosquitoes differs substantially from other model organisms, with an expanded PIWI gene family and functions in antiviral defense. Here, we define core piRNA clusters as genomic loci that show ubiquitous piRNA expression in both somatic and germline tissues. These core piRNA clusters are enriched for non-retroviral endogenous viral elements (nrEVEs) in antisense orientation and depend on key biogenesis factors, Veneno, Tejas, Yb, and Shutdown. Combined transcriptome and chromatin state analyses identify transcriptional readthrough as a conserved mechanism for cluster-derived piRNA biogenesis in the vector mosquitoes Aedes aegypti, Aedes albopictus, Culex quinquefasciatus, and Anopheles gambiae. Comparative analyses between the two Aedes species suggest that piRNA clusters function as traps for nrEVEs, allowing adaptation to environmental challenges such as virus infection. Our systematic transcriptome and chromatin state analyses lay the foundation for studies of gene regulation, genome evolution, and piRNA function in these important vector species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jieqiong Qu
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Valerie Betting
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Ruben van Iterson
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Florence M Kwaschik
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Ronald P van Rij
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
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18
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Santos D, Feng M, Kolliopoulou A, Taning CNT, Sun J, Swevers L. What Are the Functional Roles of Piwi Proteins and piRNAs in Insects? INSECTS 2023; 14:insects14020187. [PMID: 36835756 PMCID: PMC9962485 DOI: 10.3390/insects14020187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2023] [Revised: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Research on Piwi proteins and piRNAs in insects has focused on three experimental models: oogenesis and spermatogenesis in Drosophila melanogaster, the antiviral response in Aedes mosquitoes and the molecular analysis of primary and secondary piRNA biogenesis in Bombyx mori-derived BmN4 cells. Significant unique and complementary information has been acquired and has led to a greater appreciation of the complexity of piRNA biogenesis and Piwi protein function. Studies performed in other insect species are emerging and promise to add to the current state of the art on the roles of piRNAs and Piwi proteins. Although the primary role of the piRNA pathway is genome defense against transposons, particularly in the germline, recent findings also indicate an expansion of its functions. In this review, an extensive overview is presented of the knowledge of the piRNA pathway that so far has accumulated in insects. Following a presentation of the three major models, data from other insects were also discussed. Finally, the mechanisms for the expansion of the function of the piRNA pathway from transposon control to gene regulation were considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dulce Santos
- Research Group of Molecular Developmental Physiology and Signal Transduction, Division of Animal Physiology and Neurobiology, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Min Feng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Anna Kolliopoulou
- Insect Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology, Institute of Biosciences & Applications, National Centre for Scientific Research “Demokritos”, Aghia Paraskevi, 15341 Athens, Greece
| | - Clauvis N. T. Taning
- Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jingchen Sun
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Luc Swevers
- Insect Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology, Institute of Biosciences & Applications, National Centre for Scientific Research “Demokritos”, Aghia Paraskevi, 15341 Athens, Greece
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19
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Wang X, Ramat A, Simonelig M, Liu MF. Emerging roles and functional mechanisms of PIWI-interacting RNAs. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2023; 24:123-141. [PMID: 36104626 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-022-00528-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 61.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are a class of small non-coding RNAs that associate with proteins of the PIWI clade of the Argonaute family. First identified in animal germ line cells, piRNAs have essential roles in germ line development. The first function of PIWI-piRNA complexes to be described was the silencing of transposable elements, which is crucial for maintaining the integrity of the germ line genome. Later studies provided new insights into the functions of PIWI-piRNA complexes by demonstrating that they regulate protein-coding genes. Recent studies of piRNA biology, including in new model organisms such as golden hamsters, have deepened our understanding of both piRNA biogenesis and piRNA function. In this Review, we discuss the most recent advances in our understanding of piRNA biogenesis, the molecular mechanisms of piRNA function and the emerging roles of piRNAs in germ line development mainly in flies and mice, and in infertility, cancer and neurological diseases in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Wang
- 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, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Systems Health Science of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Science, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Anne Ramat
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Martine Simonelig
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France.
| | - 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, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China. .,Key Laboratory of Systems Health Science of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Science, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China. .,School of Life Science and Technology, Shanghai Tech University, Shanghai, China.
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20
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Wang J, Yuan L, Tang J, Liu J, Sun C, Itgen MW, Chen G, Sessions SK, Zhang G, Mueller RL. Transposable element and host silencing activity in gigantic genomes. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1124374. [PMID: 36910142 PMCID: PMC9998948 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1124374] [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: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) and the silencing machinery of their hosts are engaged in a germline arms-race dynamic that shapes TE accumulation and, therefore, genome size. In animal species with extremely large genomes (>10 Gb), TE accumulation has been pushed to the extreme, prompting the question of whether TE silencing also deviates from typical conditions. To address this question, we characterize TE silencing via two pathways-the piRNA pathway and KRAB-ZFP transcriptional repression-in the male and female gonads of Ranodon sibiricus, a salamander species with a ∼21 Gb genome. We quantify 1) genomic TE diversity, 2) TE expression, and 3) small RNA expression and find a significant relationship between the expression of piRNAs and TEs they target for silencing in both ovaries and testes. We also quantified TE silencing pathway gene expression in R. sibiricus and 14 other vertebrates with genome sizes ranging from 1 to 130 Gb and find no association between pathway expression and genome size. Taken together, our results reveal that the gigantic R. sibiricus genome includes at least 19 putatively active TE superfamilies, all of which are targeted by the piRNA pathway in proportion to their expression levels, suggesting comprehensive piRNA-mediated silencing. Testes have higher TE expression than ovaries, suggesting that they may contribute more to the species' high genomic TE load. We posit that apparently conflicting interpretations of TE silencing and genomic gigantism in the literature, as well as the absence of a correlation between TE silencing pathway gene expression and genome size, can be reconciled by considering whether the TE community or the host is currently "on the attack" in the arms race dynamic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Liang Yuan
- School of Life Sciences, Xinjiang Normal University, Urumqi, China
| | - Jiaxing Tang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.,College of Life Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jiongyu Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Cheng Sun
- College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Michael W Itgen
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Guiying Chen
- College of Life Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, China
| | | | - Guangpu Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.,College of Life Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, China
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21
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Teefy BB, Adler A, Xu A, Hsu K, Singh PP, Benayoun BA. Dynamic regulation of gonadal transposon control across the lifespan of the naturally short-lived African turquoise killifish. Genome Res 2023; 33:141-153. [PMID: 36577520 PMCID: PMC9977155 DOI: 10.1101/gr.277301.122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Although germline cells are considered to be functionally "immortal," both the germline and supporting somatic cells in the gonad within an organism experience aging. With increased age at parenthood, the age-related decline in reproductive success has become an important biological issue for an aging population. However, molecular mechanisms underlying reproductive aging across sexes in vertebrates remain poorly understood. To decipher molecular drivers of vertebrate gonadal aging across sexes, we perform longitudinal characterization of the gonadal transcriptome throughout the lifespan in the naturally short-lived African turquoise killifish (Nothobranchius furzeri). By combining mRNA-seq and small RNA-seq from 26 individuals, we characterize the aging gonads of young-adult, middle-aged, and old female and male fish. We analyze changes in transcriptional patterns of genes, transposable elements (TEs), and piRNAs. We find that testes seem to undergo only marginal changes during aging. In contrast, in middle-aged ovaries, the time point associated with peak female fertility in this strain, PIWI pathway components are transiently down-regulated, TE transcription is elevated, and piRNA levels generally decrease, suggesting that egg quality may already be declining at middle-age. Furthermore, we show that piRNA ping-pong biogenesis declines steadily with age in ovaries, whereas it is maintained in aging testes. To our knowledge, this data set represents the most comprehensive transcriptomic data set for vertebrate gonadal aging. This resource also highlights important pathways that are regulated during reproductive aging in either ovaries or testes, which could ultimately be leveraged to help restore aspects of youthful reproductive function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan B Teefy
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA
| | - Ari Adler
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA
| | - Alan Xu
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA.,Molecular and Computational Biology Department, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA
| | - Katelyn Hsu
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA.,Molecular and Computational Biology Department, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA
| | - Param Priya Singh
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA
| | - Bérénice A Benayoun
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA.,Molecular and Computational Biology Department, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA.,Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine Department, USC Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA.,USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA.,USC Stem Cell Initiative, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA
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22
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Long Q, Sun MH, Fan XX, Cai ZB, Zhang KY, Wang SY, Zhang JX, Gu XY, Song YX, Chen DF, Fu ZM, Guo R, Niu QS. First Identification and Investigation of piRNAs in the Larval Gut of the Asian Honeybee, Apis cerana. INSECTS 2022; 14:insects14010016. [PMID: 36661944 PMCID: PMC9863445 DOI: 10.3390/insects14010016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs), a class of small non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), play pivotal roles in maintaining the genomic stability and modulating biological processes such as growth and development via the regulation of gene expression. However, the piRNAs in the Asian honeybee (Apis cerana) are still largely unknown at present. In this current work, on the basis of previously gained high-quality small RNA-seq datasets, piRNAs in the larval gut of Apis cerana cerana, the nominated species of A. cerana, were identified for the first time, followed by an in-depth investigation of the regulatory roles of differentially expressed piRNAs (DEpiRNAs) in the developmental process of the A. c. cerana. Here, a total of 621 piRNAs were identified in A. c. cerana larval guts, among which 499 piRNAs were shared by 4-(Ac4 group), 5-(Ac5 group), and 6-day-old (Ac6 group) larval guts, while the numbers of unique ones equaled 79, 37, and 11, respectively. The piRNAs in each group ranged from 24 nucleotides (nt) to 33 nt in length, and the first base of the piRNAs had a cytosine (C) bias. Additionally, five up-regulated and five down-regulated piRNAs were identified in the Ac4 vs. Ac5 comparison group, nine of which could target 9011 mRNAs; these targets were involved in 41 GO terms and 137 pathways. Comparatively, 22 up-regulated piRNAs were detected in the Ac5 vs. Ac6 comparison group, 21 of which could target 28,969 mRNAs; these targets were engaged in 46 functional terms and 164 pathways. The results suggested an overall alteration of the expression pattern of piRNAs during the developmental process of A. c. cerana larvae. The regulatory network analysis showed that piR-ace-748815 and piR-ace-512574 in the Ac4 vs. Ac5 comparison group as well as piR-ace-716466 and piR-ace-828146 in the Ac5 vs. Ac6 comparison group were linked to the highest number of targets. Further investigation indicated that targets of DEpiRNAs in the abovementioned two comparison groups could be annotated to several growth and development-associated pathways, such as the Jak/STAT, TGF-β, and Wnt signaling pathways, indicating the involvement of DEpiRNAs in modulating larval gut development via these crucial pathways. Moreover, the expression trends of six randomly selected DEpiRNAs were verified using a combination of stem-loop RT-PCR and RT-qPCR. These results not only provide a novel insight into the development of the A. c. cerana larval gut, but also lay a foundation for uncovering the epigenetic mechanism underlying larval gut development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Long
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Ming-Hui Sun
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Xiao-Xue Fan
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Zong-Bing Cai
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Kai-Yao Zhang
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Si-Yi Wang
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Jia-Xin Zhang
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Xiao-Yu Gu
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Yu-Xuan Song
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Da-Fu Chen
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
- Jilin Institute of Apicultural Research, Jilin 132000, China
| | - Zhong-Min Fu
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
- Jilin Institute of Apicultural Research, Jilin 132000, China
| | - Rui Guo
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
- Jilin Institute of Apicultural Research, Jilin 132000, China
| | - Qing-Sheng Niu
- Jilin Institute of Apicultural Research, Jilin 132000, China
- Apitherapy Research Institute, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
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23
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De Grassi A, Tritto P, Palumbo V, Bozzetti MP, Berloco MF. The Drosophila simulans Genome Lacks the crystal- Stellate System. Cells 2022; 11:cells11233725. [PMID: 36496985 PMCID: PMC9741089 DOI: 10.3390/cells11233725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The cry-Ste system is a genetic interaction system between heterochromatin and euchromatin in Drosophila melanogaster, regulated via the piRNA pathway. Deregulation of this system leads to meiotic defects and male sterility. Although the cry-Ste system is peculiar to D. melanogaster, ancestors of Ste and Su(Ste) elements are present in the three closely related species, D. simulans, D. sechellia, and D. mauritiana. The birth, evolution, and maintenance of this genetic system in Drosophila melanogaster are of interest. We investigate the presence of sequences homologous to cry and Ste elements in the simulans complex and describe their chromosomal distribution. The organization and expression of cry- and Ste-like sequences were further characterized in the D. simulans genome. Our results allow us to conclude that the cry-Ste genetic interaction system is absent in the D. simulans genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna De Grassi
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Biotecnologie e Ambiente, Università Degli Studi di Bari “Aldo Moro”, 70125 Bari, Italy
| | - Patrizia Tritto
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Biotecnologie e Ambiente, Università Degli Studi di Bari “Aldo Moro”, 70125 Bari, Italy
| | - Valeria Palumbo
- Dipartimento di Biologia e Biotecnologie “C. Darwin”, “ Sapienza”, Università di Roma, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Maria Pia Bozzetti
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche ed Ambientali, Università del Salento, 73100 Lecce, Italy
| | - Maria Francesca Berloco
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Biotecnologie e Ambiente, Università Degli Studi di Bari “Aldo Moro”, 70125 Bari, Italy
- Correspondence:
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24
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Vertegaal ACO. Signalling mechanisms and cellular functions of SUMO. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2022; 23:715-731. [PMID: 35750927 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-022-00500-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 54.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Sumoylation is an essential post-translational modification that is catalysed by a small number of modifying enzymes but regulates thousands of target proteins in a dynamic manner. Small ubiquitin-like modifiers (SUMOs) can be attached to target proteins as one or more monomers or in the form of polymers of different types. Non-covalent readers recognize SUMO-modified proteins via SUMO interaction motifs. SUMO simultaneously modifies groups of functionally related proteins to regulate predominantly nuclear processes, including gene expression, the DNA damage response, RNA processing, cell cycle progression and proteostasis. Recent progress has increased our understanding of the cellular and pathophysiological roles of SUMO modifications, extending their functions to the regulation of immunity, pluripotency and nuclear body assembly in response to oxidative stress, which partly occurs through the recently characterized mechanism of liquid-liquid phase separation. Such progress in understanding the roles and regulation of sumoylation opens new avenues for the targeting of SUMO to treat disease, and indeed the first drug blocking sumoylation is currently under investigation in clinical trials as a possible anticancer agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfred C O Vertegaal
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands.
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25
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Wei KHC, Mai D, Chatla K, Bachtrog D. Dynamics and Impacts of Transposable Element Proliferation in the Drosophila nasuta Species Group Radiation. Mol Biol Evol 2022; 39:msac080. [PMID: 35485457 PMCID: PMC9075770 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msac080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Transposable element (TE) mobilization is a constant threat to genome integrity. Eukaryotic organisms have evolved robust defensive mechanisms to suppress their activity, yet TEs can escape suppression and proliferate, creating strong selective pressure for host defense to adapt. This genomic conflict fuels a never-ending arms race that drives the rapid evolution of TEs and recurrent positive selection of genes involved in host defense; the latter has been shown to contribute to postzygotic hybrid incompatibility. However, how TE proliferation impacts genome and regulatory divergence remains poorly understood. Here, we report the highly complete and contiguous (N50 = 33.8-38.0 Mb) genome assemblies of seven closely related Drosophila species that belong to the nasuta species group-a poorly studied group of flies that radiated in the last 2 My. We constructed a high-quality de novo TE library and gathered germline RNA-seq data, which allowed us to comprehensively annotate and compare TE insertion patterns between the species, and infer the evolutionary forces controlling their spread. We find a strong negative association between TE insertion frequency and expression of genes nearby; this likely reflects survivor bias from reduced fitness impact of TEs inserting near lowly expressed, nonessential genes, with limited TE-induced epigenetic silencing. Phylogenetic analyses of insertions of 147 TE families reveal that 53% of them show recent amplification in at least one species. The most highly amplified TE is a nonautonomous DNA element (Drosophila INterspersed Element; DINE) which has gone through multiple bouts of expansions with thousands of full-length copies littered throughout each genome. Across all TEs, we find that TEs expansions are significantly associated with high expression in the expanded species consistent with suppression escape. Thus, whereas horizontal transfer followed by the invasion of a naïve genome has been highlighted to explain the long-term survival of TEs, our analysis suggests that evasion of host suppression of resident TEs is a major strategy to persist over evolutionary times. Altogether, our results shed light on the heterogenous and context-dependent nature in which TEs affect gene regulation and the dynamics of rampant TE proliferation amidst a recently radiated species group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin H.-C. Wei
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Dat Mai
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Kamalakar Chatla
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Doris Bachtrog
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
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26
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Kotov AA, Bazylev SS, Adashev VE, Shatskikh AS, Olenina LV. Drosophila as a Model System for Studying of the Evolution and Functional Specialization of the Y Chromosome. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:4184. [PMID: 35457001 PMCID: PMC9031259 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23084184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The Y chromosome is one of the sex chromosomes found in males of animals of different taxa, including insects and mammals. Among all chromosomes, the Y chromosome is characterized by a unique chromatin landscape undergoing dynamic evolutionary change. Being entirely heterochromatic, the Y chromosome as a rule preserves few functional genes, but is enriched in tandem repeats and transposons. Due to difficulties in the assembly of the highly repetitive Y chromosome sequence, deep analyses of Y chromosome evolution, structure, and functions are limited to a few species, one of them being Drosophila melanogaster. Despite Y chromosomes exhibiting high structural divergence between even closely related species, Y-linked genes have evolved convergently and are mainly associated with spermatogenesis-related activities. This indicates that male-specific selection is a dominant force shaping evolution of Y chromosomes across species. This review presents our analysis of current knowledge concerning Y chromosome functions, focusing on recent findings in Drosophila. Here we dissect the experimental and bioinformatics data about the Y chromosome accumulated to date in Drosophila species, providing comparative analysis with mammals, and discussing the relevance of our analysis to a wide range of eukaryotic organisms, including humans.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Ludmila V. Olenina
- Institute of Molecular Genetics of National Research Center «Kurchatov Institute», 123182 Moscow, Russia; (A.A.K.); (S.S.B.); (V.E.A.); (A.S.S.)
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27
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Lim LX, Isshiki W, Iki T, Kawaguchi S, Kai T. The Tudor Domain-Containing Protein, Kotsubu (CG9925), Localizes to the Nuage and Functions in piRNA Biogenesis in D. melanogaster. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:818302. [PMID: 35425810 PMCID: PMC9002060 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.818302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Silencing of transposable elements (TEs) by Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) is crucial for maintaining germline genome integrity and fertility in animals. To repress TEs, PIWI clade Argonaute proteins cooperate with several Tudor domain-containing (Tdrd) proteins at membraneless perinuclear organelles, called nuage, to produce piRNAs to repress transposons. Here, we identify and characterize Kotsubu (Kots), one of the Drosophila Tudor domain-containing protein-1 (Tdrd1) orthologs, encoded by the CG9925 gene, that localizes to the nuage in gonads. We further show the dynamic localization of Kots in the male germline, where it shows perinuclear signals in spermatogonia but forms large cytoplasmic condensates in the spermatocytes that overlap with components of piNG-body, a nuage-associated organelle. The loss of kots results in a notable upregulation of stellate and a corresponding reduction in the suppressor of stellate piRNAs in the mutants. Furthermore, a moderate yet significant reduction of other piRNAs was observed in kots mutant testes. Taken together, we propose that Kots functions in the piRNA pathway, predominantly in the male germline by forming discrete cytoplasmic granules.
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28
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Chang CH, Gregory LE, Gordon KE, Meiklejohn CD, Larracuente AM. Unique structure and positive selection promote the rapid divergence of Drosophila Y chromosomes. eLife 2022; 11:e75795. [PMID: 34989337 PMCID: PMC8794474 DOI: 10.7554/elife.75795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 12/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Y chromosomes across diverse species convergently evolve a gene-poor, heterochromatic organization enriched for duplicated genes, LTR retrotransposons, and satellite DNA. Sexual antagonism and a loss of recombination play major roles in the degeneration of young Y chromosomes. However, the processes shaping the evolution of mature, already degenerated Y chromosomes are less well-understood. Because Y chromosomes evolve rapidly, comparisons between closely related species are particularly useful. We generated de novo long-read assemblies complemented with cytological validation to reveal Y chromosome organization in three closely related species of the Drosophila simulans complex, which diverged only 250,000 years ago and share >98% sequence identity. We find these Y chromosomes are divergent in their organization and repetitive DNA composition and discover new Y-linked gene families whose evolution is driven by both positive selection and gene conversion. These Y chromosomes are also enriched for large deletions, suggesting that the repair of double-strand breaks on Y chromosomes may be biased toward microhomology-mediated end joining over canonical non-homologous end-joining. We propose that this repair mechanism contributes to the convergent evolution of Y chromosome organization across organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ching-Ho Chang
- Department of Biology, University of RochesterRochesterUnited States
| | - Lauren E Gregory
- Department of Biology, University of RochesterRochesterUnited States
| | - Kathleen E Gordon
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-LincolnLincolnUnited States
| | - Colin D Meiklejohn
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-LincolnLincolnUnited States
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29
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Rapid evolutionary dynamics of an expanding family of meiotic drive factors and their hpRNA suppressors. Nat Ecol Evol 2021; 5:1613-1623. [PMID: 34862477 PMCID: PMC8665063 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-021-01592-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Meiotic drivers are a class of selfish genetic elements whose existence is frequently hidden due to concomitant suppressor systems. Accordingly, we know little of their evolutionary breadth and molecular mechanisms. Here, we trace the evolution of the Dox meiotic drive system in Drosophila simulans, which affects male-female balance (sex-ratio). Dox emerged via stepwise mobilization and acquisition of multiple D. melanogaster gene segments including from protamine, which mediates compaction of sperm chromatin. Moreover, we reveal novel Dox homologs and massive amplification of Dox superfamily genes on X chromosomes of its closest sisters D. mauritiana and D. sechellia. Emergence of Dox loci is tightly associated with 359-class satellite repeats that flank de novo genomic copies. In concert, we find coordinated diversification of autosomal hairpin RNA-class siRNA loci that target subsets of Dox superfamily genes. Overall, we reveal fierce genetic arms races between meiotic drive factors and siRNA suppressors associated with recent speciation.
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30
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Lawlor MA, Cao W, Ellison CE. A transposon expression burst accompanies the activation of Y-chromosome fertility genes during Drosophila spermatogenesis. Nat Commun 2021; 12:6854. [PMID: 34824217 PMCID: PMC8617248 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-27136-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) must replicate in germline cells to pass novel insertions to offspring. In Drosophila melanogaster ovaries, TEs can exploit specific developmental windows of opportunity to evade host silencing and increase their copy numbers. However, TE activity and host silencing in the distinct cell types of Drosophila testis are not well understood. Here, we reanalyze publicly available single-cell RNA-seq datasets to quantify TE expression in the distinct cell types of the Drosophila testis. We develop a method for identification of TE and host gene expression modules and find that a distinct population of early spermatocytes expresses a large number of TEs at much higher levels than other germline and somatic components of the testes. This burst of TE expression coincides with the activation of Y chromosome fertility factors and spermatocyte-specific transcriptional regulators, as well as downregulation of many components of the piRNA pathway. The TEs expressed by this cell population are specifically enriched on the Y chromosome and depleted on the X chromosome, relative to other active TEs. These data suggest that some TEs may achieve high insertional activity in males by exploiting a window of opportunity for mobilization created by the activation of spermatocyte-specific and Y chromosome-specific transcriptional programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew A Lawlor
- Department of Genetics, Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Weihuan Cao
- Department of Genetics, Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Christopher E Ellison
- Department of Genetics, Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA.
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31
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Ricchio J, Uno F, Carvalho AB. New Genes in the Drosophila Y Chromosome: Lessons from D. willistoni. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12111815. [PMID: 34828421 PMCID: PMC8623413 DOI: 10.3390/genes12111815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Y chromosomes play important roles in sex determination and male fertility. In several groups (e.g., mammals) there is strong evidence that they evolved through gene loss from a common X-Y ancestor, but in Drosophila the acquisition of new genes plays a major role. This conclusion came mostly from studies in two species. Here we report the identification of the 22 Y-linked genes in D. willistoni. They all fit the previously observed pattern of autosomal or X-linked testis-specific genes that duplicated to the Y. The ratio of gene gains to gene losses is ~25 in D. willistoni, confirming the prominent role of gene gains in the evolution of Drosophila Y chromosomes. We also found four large segmental duplications (ranging from 62 kb to 303 kb) from autosomal regions to the Y, containing ~58 genes. All but four of these duplicated genes became pseudogenes in the Y or disappeared. In the GK20609 gene the Y-linked copy remained functional, whereas its original autosomal copy degenerated, demonstrating how autosomal genes are transferred to the Y chromosome. Since the segmental duplication that carried GK20609 contained six other testis-specific genes, it seems that chance plays a significant role in the acquisition of new genes by the Drosophila Y chromosome.
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32
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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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33
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Huang S, Yoshitake K, Asakawa S. A Review of Discovery Profiling of PIWI-Interacting RNAs and Their Diverse Functions in Metazoans. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222011166. [PMID: 34681826 PMCID: PMC8538981 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222011166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Revised: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are a class of small non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs) that perform crucial biological functions in metazoans and defend against transposable elements (TEs) in germ lines. Recently, ubiquitously expressed piRNAs were discovered in soma and germ lines using small RNA sequencing (sRNA-seq) in humans and animals, providing new insights into the diverse functions of piRNAs. However, the role of piRNAs has not yet been fully elucidated, and sRNA-seq studies continue to reveal different piRNA activities in the genome. In this review, we summarize a set of simplified processes for piRNA analysis in order to provide a useful guide for researchers to perform piRNA research suitable for their study objectives. These processes can help expand the functional research on piRNAs from previously reported sRNA-seq results in metazoans. Ubiquitously expressed piRNAs have been discovered in the soma and germ lines in Annelida, Cnidaria, Echinodermata, Crustacea, Arthropoda, and Mollusca, but they are limited to germ lines in Chordata. The roles of piRNAs in TE silencing, gene expression regulation, epigenetic regulation, embryonic development, immune response, and associated diseases will continue to be discovered via sRNA-seq.
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Affiliation(s)
- Songqian Huang
- Correspondence: (S.H.); (S.A.); Tel.: +81-3-5841-5296 (S.A.); Fax: +81-3-5841-8166 (S.A.)
| | | | - Shuichi Asakawa
- Correspondence: (S.H.); (S.A.); Tel.: +81-3-5841-5296 (S.A.); Fax: +81-3-5841-8166 (S.A.)
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34
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Abstract
Mutations in the piRNA pathway protein components lead to transposon activation and fertility defects. In contrast, Gebert et al., (2021) saw no defects in transposon silencing or fertility when they deleted three large germline piRNA clusters in D. melanogaster.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peiwei Chen
- California Institute of Technology, Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.
| | - Alexei A Aravin
- California Institute of Technology, Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.
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35
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Chen P, Luo Y, Aravin AA. RDC complex executes a dynamic piRNA program during Drosophila spermatogenesis to safeguard male fertility. PLoS Genet 2021; 17:e1009591. [PMID: 34473737 PMCID: PMC8412364 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2020] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
piRNAs are small non-coding RNAs that guide the silencing of transposons and other targets in animal gonads. In Drosophila female germline, many piRNA source loci dubbed “piRNA clusters” lack hallmarks of active genes and exploit an alternative path for transcription, which relies on the Rhino-Deadlock-Cutoff (RDC) complex. RDC was thought to be absent in testis, so it remains to date unknown how piRNA cluster transcription is regulated in the male germline. We found that components of RDC complex are expressed in male germ cells during early spermatogenesis, from germline stem cells (GSCs) to early spermatocytes. RDC is essential for expression of dual-strand piRNA clusters and transposon silencing in testis; however, it is dispensable for expression of Y-linked Suppressor of Stellate piRNAs and therefore Stellate silencing. Despite intact Stellate repression, males lacking RDC exhibited compromised fertility accompanied by germline DNA damage and GSC loss. Thus, piRNA-guided repression is essential for normal spermatogenesis beyond Stellate silencing. While RDC associates with multiple piRNA clusters in GSCs and early spermatogonia, its localization changes in later stages as RDC concentrates on a single X-linked locus, AT-chX. Dynamic RDC localization is paralleled by changes in piRNA cluster expression, indicating that RDC executes a fluid piRNA program during different stages of spermatogenesis. These results disprove the common belief that RDC is dispensable for piRNA biogenesis in testis and uncover the unexpected, sexually dimorphic and dynamic behavior of a core piRNA pathway machinery. Large fractions of eukaryotic genomes are occupied by mobile genetic elements called transposons. Active transposons can move in the genome causing DNA damage and mutations, while inactive copies can contribute to chromosome organization and regulation of gene expression. Host cells employ several mechanisms to discriminate transposons from other genes and repress transposon activities. In germ cells, a conserved class of short RNAs called Piwi-interacting (pi)RNAs recognize target RNAs in both the nucleus and cytoplasm and then guide transposon repression by preventing their transcription and destroying their RNAs. piRNAs are encoded in extended genomic regions dubbed piRNA clusters. Previously, composition and regulation of piRNA clusters were studied in the female germline of fruit flies, where a nuclear protein complex, the RDC complex, was shown to promote non-canonical transcription of these regions. However, RDC was believed to be dispensable in males. Here, we showed that RDC is essential for transposon repression in males, and males lacking RDC exhibit compromised fertility and loss of germ cells. We found that RDC binds multiple piRNA clusters in early germ cells but concentrates on a single locus at later stages. Our results indicate dynamic regulation of loci that produce piRNAs and, therefore, piRNA targets throughout spermatogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peiwei Chen
- California Institute of Technology, Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, Pasadena, California, United States of America
- * E-mail: (PC); (AAA)
| | - Yicheng Luo
- California Institute of Technology, Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, Pasadena, California, United States of America
| | - Alexei A. Aravin
- California Institute of Technology, Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, Pasadena, California, United States of America
- * E-mail: (PC); (AAA)
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Molla Herman A, Brasset E. Rhino breaks the deadlock in Drosophila testis. PLoS Genet 2021; 17:e1009702. [PMID: 34473721 PMCID: PMC8412255 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Anahi Molla Herman
- Collège de France, CIRB, CNRS INSERM UMR 7241, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Emilie Brasset
- iGReD, Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, INSERM, Faculté de Médecine, Clermont-Ferrand, France
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Rosenkranz D, Zischler H, Gebert D. piRNAclusterDB 2.0: update and expansion of the piRNA cluster database. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 50:D259-D264. [PMID: 34302483 PMCID: PMC8728273 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Revised: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) and their partnering PIWI proteins defend the animal germline against transposable elements and play a crucial role in fertility. Numerous studies in the past have uncovered many additional functions of the piRNA pathway, including gene regulation, anti-viral defense, and somatic transposon repression. Further, comparative analyses across phylogenetic groups showed that the PIWI/piRNA system evolves rapidly and exhibits great evolutionary plasticity. However, the presence of so-called piRNA clusters as the major source of piRNAs is common to nearly all metazoan species. These genomic piRNA-producing loci are highly divergent across taxa and critically influence piRNA populations in different evolutionary lineages. We launched the initial version of the piRNA cluster database to facilitate research on regulation and evolution of piRNA-producing loci across tissues und species. In recent years the amount of small RNA sequencing data that was generated and the abundance of species that were studied has grown rapidly. To keep up with this recent progress, we have released a major update for the piRNA cluster database (https://www.smallrnagroup.uni-mainz.de/piRNAclusterDB), expanding it from 12 to a total of 51 species with hundreds of new datasets, and revised its overall structure to enable easy navigation through this large amount of data.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Rosenkranz
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Anthropology, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz 55099, Germany.,Senckenberg Centre for Human Genetics, Facharztzentrum Frankfurt-Nordend gGmbH, Frankfurt am Main 60314, Germany
| | - Hans Zischler
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Anthropology, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz 55099, Germany
| | - Daniel Gebert
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Anthropology, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz 55099, Germany.,Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EH, UK
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Wei X, Eickbush DG, Speece I, Larracuente AM. Heterochromatin-dependent transcription of satellite DNAs in the Drosophila melanogaster female germline. eLife 2021; 10:e62375. [PMID: 34259629 PMCID: PMC8321551 DOI: 10.7554/elife.62375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2020] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Large blocks of tandemly repeated DNAs-satellite DNAs (satDNAs)-play important roles in heterochromatin formation and chromosome segregation. We know little about how satDNAs are regulated; however, their misregulation is associated with genomic instability and human diseases. We use the Drosophila melanogaster germline as a model to study the regulation of satDNA transcription and chromatin. Here we show that complex satDNAs (>100-bp repeat units) are transcribed into long noncoding RNAs and processed into piRNAs (PIWI interacting RNAs). This satDNA piRNA production depends on the Rhino-Deadlock-Cutoff complex and the transcription factor Moonshiner-a previously described non-canonical pathway that licenses heterochromatin-dependent transcription of dual-strand piRNA clusters. We show that this pathway is important for establishing heterochromatin at satDNAs. Therefore, satDNAs are regulated by piRNAs originating from their own genomic loci. This novel mechanism of satDNA regulation provides insight into the role of piRNA pathways in heterochromatin formation and genome stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolu Wei
- Department of Biomedical Genetics, University of Rochester Medical CenterRochesterUnited States
| | - Danna G Eickbush
- Department of Biology, University of RochesterRochesterUnited States
| | - Iain Speece
- Department of Biology, University of RochesterRochesterUnited States
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