1
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Frédérick PM, Jannot G, Banville I, Simard M. Interaction between a J-domain co-chaperone and a specific Argonaute protein contributes to microRNA function in animals. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:6253-6268. [PMID: 38613392 PMCID: PMC11194074 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae272] [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: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are essential regulators of several biological processes. They are loaded onto Argonaute (AGO) proteins to achieve their repressive function, forming the microRNA-Induced Silencing Complex known as miRISC. While several AGO proteins are expressed in plants and animals, it is still unclear why specific AGOs are strictly binding miRNAs. Here, we identified the co-chaperone DNJ-12 as a new interactor of ALG-1, one of the two major miRNA-specific AGOs in Caenorhabditis elegans. DNJ-12 does not interact with ALG-2, the other major miRNA-specific AGO, and PRG-1 and RDE-1, two AGOs involved in other small RNA pathways, making it a specific actor in ALG-1-dependent miRNA-mediated gene silencing. The loss of DNJ-12 causes developmental defects associated with defective miRNA function. Using the Auxin Inducible Degron system, a powerful tool to acutely degrade proteins in specific tissues, we show that DNJ-12 depletion hampers ALG-1 interaction with HSP70, a chaperone required for miRISC loading in vitro. Moreover, DNJ-12 depletion leads to the decrease of several miRNAs and prevents their loading onto ALG-1. This study uncovers the importance of a co-chaperone for the miRNA function in vivo and provides insights to explain how different small RNAs associate with specific AGO in animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre-Marc Frédérick
- Oncology Division, CHU de Québec—Université Laval Research Center, Québec, QC G1R 3S3, Canada
- Université Laval Cancer Research Centre, Québec, QC G1R 3S3, Canada
| | - Guillaume Jannot
- Oncology Division, CHU de Québec—Université Laval Research Center, Québec, QC G1R 3S3, Canada
- Université Laval Cancer Research Centre, Québec, QC G1R 3S3, Canada
| | - Isabelle Banville
- Oncology Division, CHU de Québec—Université Laval Research Center, Québec, QC G1R 3S3, Canada
- Université Laval Cancer Research Centre, Québec, QC G1R 3S3, Canada
| | - Martin J Simard
- Oncology Division, CHU de Québec—Université Laval Research Center, Québec, QC G1R 3S3, Canada
- Université Laval Cancer Research Centre, Québec, QC G1R 3S3, Canada
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2
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Mandlbauer A, Sun Q, Popitsch N, Schwickert T, Spanova M, Wang J, Ameres SL, Busslinger M, Cochella L. Mime-seq 2.0: a method to sequence microRNAs from specific mouse cell types. EMBO J 2024; 43:2506-2525. [PMID: 38689024 PMCID: PMC11183118 DOI: 10.1038/s44318-024-00102-8] [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: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Many microRNAs (miRNAs) are expressed with high spatiotemporal specificity during organismal development, with some being limited to rare cell types, often embedded in complex tissues. Yet, most miRNA profiling efforts remain at the tissue and organ levels. To overcome challenges in accessing the microRNomes from tissue-embedded cells, we had previously developed mime-seq (miRNome by methylation-dependent sequencing), a technique in which cell-specific miRNA methylation in C. elegans and Drosophila enabled chemo-selective sequencing without the need for cell sorting or biochemical purification. Here, we present mime-seq 2.0 for profiling miRNAs from specific mouse cell types. We engineered a chimeric RNA methyltransferase that is tethered to Argonaute protein and efficiently methylates miRNAs at their 3'-terminal 2'-OH in mouse and human cell lines. We also generated a transgenic mouse for conditional expression of this methyltransferase, which can be used to direct methylation of miRNAs in a cell type of choice. We validated the use of this mouse model by profiling miRNAs from B cells and bone marrow plasma cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariane Mandlbauer
- School of Medicine, John Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
| | - Qiong Sun
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
| | - Niko Popitsch
- Max Perutz Labs (MPL), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
- University of Vienna, Center for Molecular Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Vienna, Austria
| | - Tanja Schwickert
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
| | - Miroslava Spanova
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
| | - Jingkui Wang
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
| | - Stefan L Ameres
- Max Perutz Labs (MPL), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria.
- University of Vienna, Center for Molecular Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Meinrad Busslinger
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria.
| | - Luisa Cochella
- School of Medicine, John Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria.
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3
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Nahar S, Morales Moya LJ, Brunner J, Hendriks GJ, Towbin B, Hauser Y, Brancati G, Gaidatzis D, Großhans H. Dynamics of miRNA accumulation during C. elegans larval development. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:5336-5355. [PMID: 38381904 PMCID: PMC11109986 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae115] [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: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Temporally and spatially controlled accumulation underlies the functions of microRNAs (miRNAs) in various developmental processes. In Caenorhabditis elegans, this is exemplified by the temporal patterning miRNAs lin-4 and let-7, but for most miRNAs, developmental expression patterns remain poorly resolved. Indeed, experimentally observed long half-lives may constrain possible dynamics. Here, we profile miRNA expression throughout C. elegans postembryonic development at high temporal resolution, which identifies dynamically expressed miRNAs. We use mathematical models to explore the underlying mechanisms. For let-7, we can explain, and experimentally confirm, a striking stepwise accumulation pattern through a combination of rhythmic transcription and stage-specific regulation of precursor processing by the RNA-binding protein LIN-28. By contrast, the dynamics of several other miRNAs cannot be explained by regulation of production rates alone. Specifically, we show that a combination of oscillatory transcription and rhythmic decay drive rhythmic accumulation of miR-235, orthologous to miR-92 in other animals. We demonstrate that decay of miR-235 and additional miRNAs depends on EBAX-1, previously implicated in target-directed miRNA degradation (TDMD). Taken together, our results provide insight into dynamic miRNA decay and establish a resource to studying both the developmental functions of, and the regulatory mechanisms acting on, miRNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Smita Nahar
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research (FMI), Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - Jana Brunner
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research (FMI), Basel, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Gert-Jan Hendriks
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research (FMI), Basel, Switzerland
| | - Benjamin Towbin
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research (FMI), Basel, Switzerland
- University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Yannick P Hauser
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research (FMI), Basel, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Giovanna Brancati
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research (FMI), Basel, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Dimos Gaidatzis
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research (FMI), Basel, Switzerland
- SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Helge Großhans
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research (FMI), Basel, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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4
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Montgomery BE, Knittel TL, Reed KJ, Chong MC, Isolehto IJ, Cafferty ER, Smith MJ, Sprister RA, Magelky CN, Scherman H, Ketting RF, Montgomery TA. Regulation of Microprocessor assembly and localization via Pasha's WW domain in C. elegans. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.23.590772. [PMID: 38712061 PMCID: PMC11071396 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.23.590772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Primary microRNA (pri-miRNA) transcripts are processed by the Microprocessor, a protein complex that includes the ribonuclease Drosha and its RNA binding partner DGCR8/Pasha. We developed a live, whole animal, fluorescence-based sensor that reliably monitors pri-miRNA processing with high sensitivity in C. elegans. Through a forward genetic selection for alleles that desilence the sensor, we identified a mutation in the conserved G residue adjacent to the namesake W residue of Pasha's WW domain. Using genome editing we also mutated the W residue and reveal that both the G and W residue are required for dimerization of Pasha and proper assembly of the Microprocessor. Surprisingly, we find that the WW domain also facilitates nuclear localization of Pasha, which in turn promotes nuclear import or retention of Drosha. Furthermore, depletion of Pasha or Drosha causes both components of the Microprocessor to mislocalize to the cytoplasm. Thus, Pasha and Drosha mutually regulate each other's spatial expression in C. elegans.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Thiago L. Knittel
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Kailee J. Reed
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
- Cell and Molecular Biology Program, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Madeleine C. Chong
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Ida J. Isolehto
- Biology of Non-coding RNA group, Institute of Molecular Biology, Mainz, Germany
- International PhD Program on Gene Regulation, Epigenetics and Genome Stability, Mainz, Germany
| | - Erin R. Cafferty
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Margaret J. Smith
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Reese A. Sprister
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Colin N. Magelky
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Hataichanok Scherman
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Rene F. Ketting
- Biology of Non-coding RNA group, Institute of Molecular Biology, Mainz, Germany
- Institute of Developmental Biology and Neurobiology, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Taiowa A. Montgomery
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
- Cell and Molecular Biology Program, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
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5
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Xu W, Liu J, Qi H, Si R, Zhao Z, Tao Z, Bai Y, Hu S, Sun X, Cong Y, Zhang H, Fan D, Xiao L, Wang Y, Li Y, Du Z. A lineage-resolved cartography of microRNA promoter activity in C. elegans empowers multidimensional developmental analysis. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2783. [PMID: 38555276 PMCID: PMC10981687 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47055-4] [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: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Elucidating the expression of microRNAs in developing single cells is critical for functional discovery. Here, we construct scCAMERA (single-cell cartography of microRNA expression based on reporter assay), utilizing promoter-driven fluorescent reporters in conjunction with imaging and lineage tracing. The cartography delineates the transcriptional activity of 54 conserved microRNAs in lineage-resolved single cells throughout C. elegans embryogenesis. The combinatorial expression of microRNAs partitions cells into fine clusters reflecting their function and anatomy. Notably, the expression of individual microRNAs exhibits high cell specificity and divergence among family members. Guided by cellular expression patterns, we identify developmental functions of specific microRNAs, including miR-1 in pharynx development and physiology, miR-232 in excretory canal morphogenesis by repressing NHR-25/NR5A, and a functional synergy between miR-232 and miR-234 in canal development, demonstrating the broad utility of scCAMERA. Furthermore, integrative analysis reveals that tissue-specific fate determinants activate microRNAs to repress protein production from leaky transcripts associated with alternative, especially neuronal, fates, thereby enhancing the fidelity of developmental fate differentiation. Collectively, our study offers rich opportunities for multidimensional expression-informed analysis of microRNA biology in metazoans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weina Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jinyi Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Huan Qi
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ruolin Si
- College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhiguang Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhiju Tao
- College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Yuchuan Bai
- College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Shipeng Hu
- College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaohan Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yulin Cong
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Haoye Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Duchangjiang Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Long Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yangyang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yongbin Li
- College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China.
| | - Zhuo Du
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
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6
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Wang X, Jiang Q, Zhang H, He Z, Song Y, Chen Y, Tang N, Zhou Y, Li Y, Antebi A, Wu L, Han JDJ, Shen Y. Tissue-specific profiling of age-dependent miRNAomic changes in Caenorhabditis elegans. Nat Commun 2024; 15:955. [PMID: 38302463 PMCID: PMC10834975 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45249-4] [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: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Ageing exhibits common and distinct features in various tissues, making it critical to decipher the tissue-specific ageing mechanisms. MiRNAs are essential regulators in ageing and are recently highlighted as a class of intercellular messengers. However, little is known about the tissue-specific transcriptomic changes of miRNAs during ageing. C. elegans is a well-established model organism in ageing research. Here, we profile the age-dependent miRNAomic changes in five isolated worm tissues. Besides the diverse ageing-regulated miRNA expression across tissues, we discover numerous miRNAs in the tissues without their transcription. We further profile miRNAs in the extracellular vesicles and find that worm miRNAs undergo inter-tissue trafficking via these vesicles in an age-dependent manner. Using these datasets, we uncover the interaction between body wall muscle-derived mir-1 and DAF-16/FOXO in the intestine, suggesting mir-1 as a messenger in inter-tissue signalling. Taken together, we systematically investigate worm miRNAs in the somatic tissues and extracellular vesicles during ageing, providing a valuable resource to study tissue-autonomous and nonautonomous functions of miRNAs in ageing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueqing Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200031, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Quanlong Jiang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200031, Shanghai, China
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Center for Quantitative Biology (CQB), Peking University, 102213, Beijing, China
| | - Hongdao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200031, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Zhidong He
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200031, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Yuanyuan Song
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200031, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Yifan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200031, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Na Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200031, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Yifei Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200031, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Yiping Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200031, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Adam Antebi
- Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, D-50931, Cologne, Germany
- Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, 50674, Cologne, Germany
| | - Ligang Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200031, Shanghai, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China.
| | - Jing-Dong J Han
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Center for Quantitative Biology (CQB), Peking University, 102213, Beijing, China.
| | - Yidong Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200031, Shanghai, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China.
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7
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Chipman LB, Luc S, Nicastro IA, Hulahan JJ, Dann DC, Bodas DM, Pasquinelli AE. Expression, not sequence, distinguishes miR-238 from its miR-239ab sister miRNAs in promoting longevity in Caenorhabditis elegans. PLoS Genet 2023; 19:e1011055. [PMID: 38011256 PMCID: PMC10703411 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1011055] [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: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate gene expression by base-pairing to target sequences in messenger RNAs (mRNAs) and recruiting factors that induce translational repression and mRNA decay. In animals, nucleotides 2-8 at the 5' end of the miRNA, called the seed region, are often necessary and sometimes sufficient for functional target interactions. MiRNAs that contain identical seed sequences are grouped into families where individual members have the potential to share targets and act redundantly. A rare exception seemed to be the miR-238/239ab family in Caenorhabditis elegans, as previous work indicated that loss of miR-238 reduced lifespan while deletion of the miR-239ab locus resulted in enhanced longevity and thermal stress resistance. Here, we re-examined these potentially opposing roles using new strains that individually disrupt each miRNA sister. We confirmed that loss of miR-238 is associated with a shortened lifespan but could detect no longevity or stress phenotypes in animals lacking miR-239a or miR-239b, individually or in combination. Additionally, dozens of genes were mis-regulated in miR-238 mutants but almost no gene expression changes were detected in either miR-239a or miR-239b mutants compared to wild type animals. We present evidence that the lack of redundancy between miR-238 and miR-239ab is independent of their sequence differences; miR-239a or miR-239b could substitute for the longevity role of miR-238 when expressed from the miR-238 locus. Altogether, these studies disqualify miR-239ab as negative regulators of aging and demonstrate that expression, not sequence, dictates the specific role of miR-238 in promoting longevity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura B. Chipman
- Molecular Biology Department, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - San Luc
- Molecular Biology Department, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Ian A. Nicastro
- Molecular Biology Department, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Jesse J. Hulahan
- Molecular Biology Department, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Delaney C. Dann
- Molecular Biology Department, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Devavrat M. Bodas
- Molecular Biology Department, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Amy E. Pasquinelli
- Molecular Biology Department, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
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8
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Matai L, Stathis T, Lee JD, Parsons C, Saxena T, Shlomchik K, Slack FJ. The conserved microRNA-229 family controls low-insulin signaling and dietary restriction induced longevity through interactions with SKN-1/NRF2. Aging Cell 2023; 22:e13785. [PMID: 36748780 PMCID: PMC10086521 DOI: 10.1111/acel.13785] [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: 02/15/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Several microRNAs have emerged as regulators of pathways that control aging. For example, miR-228 is required for normal lifespan and dietary restriction (DR) mediated longevity through interaction with PHA-4 and SKN-1 transcription factors in Caenorhabditis elegans. miR-229,64,65, and 66, a cluster of microRNAs located adjacent to each other on chromosome III, are in the same family as miR-228, albeit with slight differences in the miR-228 seed sequence. We demonstrate that, in contrast to the anti-longevity role of miR-228, the miR-229-66 cluster is required for normal C. elegans lifespan and for the longevity observed in mir-228 mutants. miR-229-66 is also critical for lifespan extension observed under DR and reduced insulin signaling (IIS) and by constitutive nuclear SKN-1. Both DR and low-IIS upregulate the expression of the miRNA cluster, which is dependent on transcription factors PHA-4, SKN-1, and DAF-16. In turn, the expression of SKN-1 and DAF-16 requires mir-229,64,65,66. miR-229-66 targets the odd-skipped-related transcription factor, odd-2 to regulate lifespan. Knockdown of odd-2 increases lifespan, suppresses the short lifespan of mir-229,64,65,66(nDf63) III mutants, and alters levels of SKN-1 in the ASI neurons. Together with SKN-1, the miRNA cluster also indirectly regulates several genes in the xenobiotic detoxification pathway which increases wild-type lifespan and significantly rescues the short lifespan of mir-229,64,65,66(nDf63) III mutants. Thus, by interacting with SKN-1, miR-229-66 transduces the effects of DR and low-IIS in lifespan extension in C. elegans. Given that this pathway is conserved, it is possible that a similar mechanism regulates aging in more complex organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Latika Matai
- HMS Initiative for RNA Medicine, Department of PathologyBeth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Thalyana Stathis
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental BiologyYale UniversityNew HavenConnecticutUSA
| | - Jonathan D. Lee
- HMS Initiative for RNA Medicine, Department of PathologyBeth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Christine Parsons
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental BiologyYale UniversityNew HavenConnecticutUSA
| | - Tanvi Saxena
- HMS Initiative for RNA Medicine, Department of PathologyBeth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Kovi Shlomchik
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental BiologyYale UniversityNew HavenConnecticutUSA
| | - Frank J. Slack
- HMS Initiative for RNA Medicine, Department of PathologyBeth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
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9
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Schorr AL, Mejia AF, Miranda MY, Mangone M. An updated C. elegans nuclear body muscle transcriptome for studies in muscle formation and function. Skelet Muscle 2023; 13:4. [PMID: 36859305 PMCID: PMC9979539 DOI: 10.1186/s13395-023-00314-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The body muscle is an important tissue used in organisms for proper viability and locomotion. Although this tissue is generally well studied and characterized, and many pathways have been elucidated throughout the years, we still lack a comprehensive understanding of its transcriptome and how it controls muscle development and function. Here, we have updated a nuclear FACS sorting-based methodology to isolate and sequence a high-quality muscle transcriptome from Caenorhabditis elegans mixed-stage animals. We have identified 2848 muscle-specific protein-coding genes, including 78 transcription factors and 206 protein-coding genes containing an RNA binding domain. We studied their interaction network, performed a detailed promoter analysis, and identified novel muscle-specific cis-acting elements. We have also identified 16 high-quality muscle-specific miRNAs, studied their function in vivo using fluorochrome-based analyses, and developed a high-quality C. elegans miRNA interactome incorporating other muscle-specific datasets produced by our lab and others.Our study expands our understanding of how muscle tissue functions in C. elegans andin turn provides results that can in the future be applied to humans to study muscular-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna L. Schorr
- grid.215654.10000 0001 2151 2636Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ USA ,grid.215654.10000 0001 2151 2636Virginia G. Piper Center for Personalized Diagnostics, The Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University, 1001 S McAllister Ave, Tempe, AZ USA ,grid.215654.10000 0001 2151 2636School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, 751 E Lemon Mall, Tempe, AZ 85287 USA
| | - Alejandro Felix Mejia
- grid.215654.10000 0001 2151 2636School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, 751 E Lemon Mall, Tempe, AZ 85287 USA
| | - Martina Y. Miranda
- grid.250942.80000 0004 0507 3225Helios Scholars at the Translational Genomics Research Institute, 445 N 5th St 4th Floor, Phoenix, AZ 85004 USA
| | - Marco Mangone
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA. .,Virginia G. Piper Center for Personalized Diagnostics, The Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University, 1001 S McAllister Ave, Tempe, AZ, USA. .,School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, 751 E Lemon Mall, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA.
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10
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Ste-Croix DT, Bélanger RR, Mimee B. Characterization of microRNAs in the cyst nematode Heterodera glycines identifies possible candidates involved in cross-kingdom interactions with its host Glycine max. RNA Biol 2023; 20:614-628. [PMID: 37599428 PMCID: PMC10443972 DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2023.2244790] [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] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The soybean cyst nematode (SCN - Heterodera glycines) is one of the most damaging pests to the cultivated soybean worldwide. Using a wide array of stylet-secreted effector proteins, this nematode can restructure its host cells into a complex and highly active feeding structure called the syncytium. Tight regulation of these proteins is thought to be essential to the successful formation of this syncytium. To date, multiple mechanisms have been proposed to regulate the expression of these proteins including through post-transcriptional regulation. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small, roughly 22-nucleotide-long, non-coding RNA shown to regulate gene expression through its interaction with the 3' untranslated region of genes. These same small RNAs have also been hypothesized to be able to cross over kingdom barriers and regulate genes in other species in a process called cross-kingdom interactions. In this study, we characterized the miRNome of the SCN via sequencing of small-RNAs isolated from whole nematodes and exosomes representing all developmental stages. We identified 121 miRNA loci encoding 96 distinct miRNA families including multiple lineage- and species-specific candidates. Using a combination of plant- and animal-specific miRNA target predictors, we generated a unique repertoire of miRNA:mRNA interacting partners in the nematode and its host plant leading to the identification of a set of nine probable cross-kingdom miRNA candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dave T. Ste-Croix
- Saint-Jean-Sur-Richelieu Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Saint-Jean-Sur-Richelieu, Canada
- Département de Phytologie, Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Richard R. Bélanger
- Département de Phytologie, Université Laval, Québec, Canada
- Centre de Recherche et d’Innovation sur les Végétaux (CRIV), Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Benjamin Mimee
- Saint-Jean-Sur-Richelieu Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Saint-Jean-Sur-Richelieu, Canada
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11
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Nalavade R, Singh M. Intracellular Compartmentalization: A Key Determinant of MicroRNA Functions. Microrna 2023; 12:114-130. [PMID: 37638608 DOI: 10.2174/2211536612666230330184006] [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: 11/24/2022] [Revised: 12/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
Being an integral part of the eukaryotic transcriptome, miRNAs are regarded as vital regulators of diverse developmental and physiological processes. Clearly, miRNA activity is kept in check by various regulatory mechanisms that control their biogenesis and decay pathways. With the increasing technical depth of RNA profiling technologies, novel insights have unravelled the spatial diversity exhibited by miRNAs inside a cell. Compartmentalization of miRNAs adds complexity to the regulatory circuits of miRNA expression, thereby providing superior control over the miRNA function. This review provides a bird's eye view of miRNAs expressed in different subcellular locations, thus affecting the gene regulatory pathways therein. Occurrence of miRNAs in diverse intracellular locales also reveals various unconventional roles played by miRNAs in different cellular organelles and expands the scope of miRNA functions beyond their traditionally known repressive activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rohit Nalavade
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India
| | - Mohini Singh
- Department of Life Sciences, Sharda School of Basic Sciences and Research, Sharda University, Greater Noida, India
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12
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Bhattacharya S, Horowitz BB, Zhang J, Li X, Zhang H, Giese GE, Holdorf AD, Walhout AJ. A metabolic regulatory network for the Caenorhabditis elegans intestine. iScience 2022; 25:104688. [PMID: 35847555 PMCID: PMC9283940 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 06/12/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Metabolic perturbations can affect gene expression, for instance to rewire metabolism. While numerous efforts have measured gene expression in response to individual metabolic perturbations, methods that determine all metabolic perturbations that affect the expression for a given gene or set of genes have not been available. Here, we use a gene-centered approach to derive a first-pass metabolic regulatory network for Caenorhabditis elegans by performing RNAi of more than 1,400 metabolic genes with a set of 19 promoter reporter strains that express a fluorescent protein in the animal's intestine. We find that metabolic perturbations generally increase promoter activity, which contrasts with transcription factor (TF) RNAi, which tends to repress promoter activity. We identify several TFs that modulate promoter activity in response to perturbations of the electron transport chain and explore complex genetic interactions among metabolic pathways. This work provides a blueprint for a systems-level understanding of how metabolism affects gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sushila Bhattacharya
- Department of Systems Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Brent B. Horowitz
- Department of Systems Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Jingyan Zhang
- Department of Systems Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Xuhang Li
- Department of Systems Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Hefei Zhang
- Department of Systems Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Gabrielle E. Giese
- Department of Systems Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Amy D. Holdorf
- Department of Systems Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Albertha J.M. Walhout
- Department of Systems Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
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13
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He Y, Liu Y, Yang Y, Liu Y, Jia X, Shen Y, Xu X, Li J. elk1/miR-462-731 Feedback Loop Regulates Macrophages Polarization and Phagocytosis in Grass Carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella). Front Immunol 2022; 13:946857. [PMID: 35911773 PMCID: PMC9330907 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.946857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
MicroRNA clusters are microRNAs (miRNAs) that are distributed in close proximity on chromosomes. In this study, we report a miRNA cluster identified from grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella), miR-462-731, which plays a positive role in host antibacterial immunity. The expression of miR-462-731 was disrupted after infection by Aeromonas hydrophila. Transcription factor ETS transcription factor ELK1 was identified to bind to the promoter of the miR-462-731 cluster and suppress its expression. In addition, miR-731 negatively regulates the expression of elk1, forms an elk1/miR-462-731 double negative feedback loop. In addition, we found that miR-731 directly targets ezrin a (ezra), participates in inducing PI3K/AKT signaling in macrophage, to induce macrophage polarization to the M1 phenotype with stronger phagocytosis. Our results demonstrate a novel elk1/miR-462-731 feedback loop. The data deepen our understanding of the relationship between macrophage polarization and phagocytosis in teleost fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan He
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Aquatic Genetic Resources Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
- National Demonstration Center for Experimental Fisheries Science Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Aquaculture, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuting Liu
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Aquatic Genetic Resources Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
- National Demonstration Center for Experimental Fisheries Science Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Aquaculture, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuyue Yang
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Aquatic Genetic Resources Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Aquatic Genetic Resources Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
- National Demonstration Center for Experimental Fisheries Science Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Aquaculture, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xuewen Jia
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Aquatic Genetic Resources Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
- National Demonstration Center for Experimental Fisheries Science Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Aquaculture, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yubang Shen
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Aquatic Genetic Resources Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
- National Demonstration Center for Experimental Fisheries Science Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Aquaculture, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaoyan Xu
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Aquatic Genetic Resources Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
- National Demonstration Center for Experimental Fisheries Science Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Aquaculture, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Xiaoyan Xu, ; Jiale Li,
| | - Jiale Li
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Aquatic Genetic Resources Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
- National Demonstration Center for Experimental Fisheries Science Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Aquaculture, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Xiaoyan Xu, ; Jiale Li,
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14
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Han Y, Zhou Y. Comprehensive Identification of Human Cell Type Chromatin Activity-Specific and Cell Type Expression-Specific MicroRNAs. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23137324. [PMID: 35806329 PMCID: PMC9266980 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23137324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Revised: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate multiple transcripts and thus shape the expression landscape of a cell. Information about miRNA expression and distribution across cell types is crucial for the understanding of miRNAs’ functions and their translational applications as biomarkers or therapeutic targets. In this study, we identify cell-type-specific miRNAs by combining multiple correspondence analysis and Gini coefficients to dissect miRNAs’ expression profiles and chromatin activity score profiles, which results in collections of chromatin activity-specific miRNAs in 91 cell types and expression-specific miRNAs in 124 cell types. Moreover, we find that cell-type-specific miRNAs are closely associated with disease miRNAs, such as T-cell-specific miRNAs, which are closely associated with cancer prognosis. Finally, we constructed mirCellType, an online tool based on cell-type-specific miRNA signatures, to dissect the cell type composition of complex samples with miRNA expression profiles.
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15
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Zhang Q, Hrach H, Mangone M, Reiner DJ. Identifying the Caenorhabditis elegans vulval transcriptome. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2022; 12:jkac091. [PMID: 35551383 PMCID: PMC9157107 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkac091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Development of the Caenorhabditis elegans vulva is a classic model of organogenesis. This system, which starts with 6 equipotent cells, encompasses diverse types of developmental event, including developmental competence, multiple signaling events to control precise and faithful patterning of three cell fates, execution and proliferation of specific cell lineages, and a series of sophisticated morphogenetic events. Early events have been subjected to extensive mutational and genetic investigations and later events to cell biological analyses. We infer the existence of dramatically changing profiles of gene expression that accompanies the observed changes in development. Yet, except from serendipitous discovery of several transcription factors expressed in dynamic patterns in vulval lineages, our knowledge of the transcriptomic landscape during vulval development is minimal. This study describes the composition of a vulva-specific transcriptome. We used tissue-specific harvesting of mRNAs via immunoprecipitation of epitope-tagged poly(A) binding protein, PAB-1, heterologously expressed by a promoter known to express GFP in vulval cells throughout their development. The identified transcriptome was small but tightly interconnected. From this data set, we identified several genes with identified functions in development of the vulva and validated more with promoter-GFP reporters of expression. For one target, lag-1, promoter-GFP expression was limited but a fluorescent tag of the endogenous protein revealed extensive expression. Thus, we have identified a transcriptome of C. elegans vulval lineages as a launching pad for exploration of functions of these genes in organogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Zhang
- Department of Translational Medical Science, Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Texas A&M University, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Heather Hrach
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
- Virginia G. Piper Center for Personalized Diagnostics, The Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
| | - Marco Mangone
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
- Virginia G. Piper Center for Personalized Diagnostics, The Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
| | - David J Reiner
- Department of Translational Medical Science, Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Texas A&M University, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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16
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Elder CR, Pasquinelli AE. New Roles for MicroRNAs in Old Worms. FRONTIERS IN AGING 2022; 3:871226. [PMID: 35821862 PMCID: PMC9261348 DOI: 10.3389/fragi.2022.871226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The use of Caenorhabditis elegans as a model organism in aging research has been integral to our understanding of genes and pathways involved in this process. Several well-conserved signaling pathways that respond to insulin signaling, diet, and assaults to proteostasis have defined roles in controlling lifespan. New evidence shows that microRNAs (miRNAs) play prominent roles in regulating these pathways. In some cases, key aging-related genes have been established as direct targets of specific miRNAs. However, the precise functions of other miRNAs and their protein cofactors in promoting or antagonizing longevity still need to be determined. Here, we highlight recently uncovered roles of miRNAs in common aging pathways, as well as new techniques for the ongoing discovery of miRNA functions in aging C. elegans.
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17
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Ohno H, Bao Z. Small RNAs couple embryonic developmental programs to gut microbes. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabl7663. [PMID: 35319987 PMCID: PMC8942359 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abl7663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Embryogenesis has long been known for its robustness to environmental factors. Although developmental tuning of embryogenesis to the environment experienced by the parent may be beneficial, little is understood on whether and how developmental patterns proactively change. Here, we show that Caenorhabditis elegans undergoes alternative embryogenesis in response to maternal gut microbes. Harmful microbes result in altered endodermal cell divisions; morphological changes, including left-right asymmetric development; double association between intestinal and primordial germ cells; and partial rescue of fecundity. The miR-35 microRNA family, which is controlled by systemic endogenous RNA interference and targets the β-transducin repeat-containing protein/cell division cycle 25 (CDC25) pathway, transmits intergenerational information to regulate cell divisions and reproduction. Our findings challenge the widespread assumption that C. elegans has an invariant cell lineage that consists of a fixed cell number and provide insights into how organisms optimize embryogenesis to adapt to environmental changes through epigenetic control.
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18
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Kalia V, Belsky DW, Baccarelli AA, Miller GW. An exposomic framework to uncover environmental drivers of aging. EXPOSOME 2022; 2:osac002. [PMID: 35295547 PMCID: PMC8917275 DOI: 10.1093/exposome/osac002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Revised: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
The exposome, the environmental complement of the genome, is an omics level characterization of an individual’s exposures. There is growing interest in uncovering the role of the environment in human health using an exposomic framework that provides a systematic and unbiased analysis of the non-genetic drivers of health and disease. Many environmental toxicants are associated with molecular hallmarks of aging. An exposomic framework has potential to advance understanding of these associations and how modifications to the environment can promote healthy aging in the population. However, few studies have used this framework to study biological aging. We provide an overview of approaches and challenges in using an exposomic framework to investigate environmental drivers of aging. While capturing exposures over a life course is a daunting and expensive task, the use of historical data can be a practical way to approach this research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vrinda Kalia
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Daniel W Belsky
- Department of Epidemiology and Robert N. Butler Columbia Aging Center, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Andrea A Baccarelli
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Gary W Miller
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
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19
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Mukherjee S, Sokol N. Resources and Methods for the Analysis of MicroRNA Function in Drosophila. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2540:79-92. [PMID: 35980573 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2541-5_3] [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] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Since the widespread discovery of microRNAs (miRNAs) 20 years ago, the Drosophila melanogaster model system has made important contributions to understanding the biology of this class of noncoding RNAs. These contributions are based on the amenability of this model system not only for biochemical analysis but molecular, genetic, and cell biological analyses as well. Nevertheless, while the Drosophila genome is now known to encode 258 miRNA precursors, the function of only a small minority of these have been well characterized. In this review, we summarize the current resources and methods that are available to study miRNA function in Drosophila with a particular focus on the large-scale resources that enable systematic analysis. Application of these methods will accelerate the discovery of ways that miRNAs are embedded into genetic networks that control basic features of metazoan cells.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nicholas Sokol
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA.
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20
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Carlston C, Weinmann R, Stec N, Abbatemarco S, Schwager F, Wang J, Ouyang H, Ewald CY, Gotta M, Hammell CM. PQN-59 antagonizes microRNA-mediated repression during post-embryonic temporal patterning and modulates translation and stress granule formation in C. elegans. PLoS Genet 2021; 17:e1009599. [PMID: 34807903 PMCID: PMC8648105 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Revised: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
microRNAs (miRNAs) are potent regulators of gene expression that function in a variety of developmental and physiological processes by dampening the expression of their target genes at a post-transcriptional level. In many gene regulatory networks (GRNs), miRNAs function in a switch-like manner whereby their expression and activity elicit a transition from one stable pattern of gene expression to a distinct, equally stable pattern required to define a nascent cell fate. While the importance of miRNAs that function in this capacity are clear, we have less of an understanding of the cellular factors and mechanisms that ensure the robustness of this form of regulatory bistability. In a screen to identify suppressors of temporal patterning phenotypes that result from ineffective miRNA-mediated target repression, we identified pqn-59, an ortholog of human UBAP2L, as a novel factor that antagonizes the activities of multiple heterochronic miRNAs. Specifically, we find that depletion of pqn-59 can restore normal development in animals with reduced lin-4 and let-7-family miRNA activity. Importantly, inactivation of pqn-59 is not sufficient to bypass the requirement of these regulatory RNAs within the heterochronic GRN. The pqn-59 gene encodes an abundant, cytoplasmically-localized, unstructured protein that harbors three essential "prion-like" domains. These domains exhibit LLPS properties in vitro and normally function to limit PQN-59 diffusion in the cytoplasm in vivo. Like human UBAP2L, PQN-59's localization becomes highly dynamic during stress conditions where it re-distributes to cytoplasmic stress granules and is important for their formation. Proteomic analysis of PQN-59 complexes from embryonic extracts indicates that PQN-59 and human UBAP2L interact with orthologous cellular components involved in RNA metabolism and promoting protein translation and that PQN-59 additionally interacts with proteins involved in transcription and intracellular transport. Finally, we demonstrate that pqn-59 depletion reduces protein translation and also results in the stabilization of several mature miRNAs (including those involved in temporal patterning). These data suggest that PQN-59 may ensure the bistability of some GRNs that require miRNA functions by promoting miRNA turnover and, like UBAP2L, enhancing protein translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colleen Carlston
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, United States of America
| | - Robin Weinmann
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, United States of America
| | - Natalia Stec
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, United States of America
| | - Simona Abbatemarco
- Department of Cellular Physiology and Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Francoise Schwager
- Department of Cellular Physiology and Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Jing Wang
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, United States of America
| | - Huiwu Ouyang
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, United States of America
| | - Collin Y. Ewald
- Laboratory of Extracellular Matrix Regeneration, Institute of Translational Medicine, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zürich, Schwerzenbach, Switzerland
| | - Monica Gotta
- Department of Cellular Physiology and Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
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21
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Katsanos D, Ferrando-Marco M, Razzaq I, Aughey G, Southall TD, Barkoulas M. Gene expression profiling of epidermal cell types in C. elegans using Targeted DamID. Development 2021; 148:dev199452. [PMID: 34397094 PMCID: PMC7613258 DOI: 10.1242/dev.199452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The epidermis of Caenorhabditis elegans is an essential tissue for survival because it contributes to the formation of the cuticle barrier as well as facilitating developmental progression and animal growth. Most of the epidermis consists of the hyp7 hypodermal syncytium, the nuclei of which are largely generated by the seam cells, which exhibit stem cell-like behaviour during development. How seam cell progenitors differ transcriptionally from the differentiated hypodermis is poorly understood. Here, we introduce Targeted DamID (TaDa) in C. elegans as a method for identifying genes expressed within a tissue of interest without cell isolation. We show that TaDa signal enrichment profiles can be used to identify genes transcribed in the epidermis and use this method to resolve differences in gene expression between the seam cells and the hypodermis. Finally, we predict and functionally validate new transcription and chromatin factors acting in seam cell development. These findings provide insights into cell type-specific gene expression profiles likely associated with epidermal cell fate patterning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitris Katsanos
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Mar Ferrando-Marco
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Iqrah Razzaq
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Gabriel Aughey
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Tony D. Southall
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Michalis Barkoulas
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
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22
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Schiffer I, Gerisch B, Kawamura K, Laboy R, Hewitt J, Denzel MS, Mori MA, Vanapalli S, Shen Y, Symmons O, Antebi A. miR-1 coordinately regulates lysosomal v-ATPase and biogenesis to impact proteotoxicity and muscle function during aging. eLife 2021; 10:e66768. [PMID: 34311841 PMCID: PMC8315803 DOI: 10.7554/elife.66768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Muscle function relies on the precise architecture of dynamic contractile elements, which must be fine-tuned to maintain motility throughout life. Muscle is also plastic, and remodeled in response to stress, growth, neural and metabolic inputs. The conserved muscle-enriched microRNA, miR-1, regulates distinct aspects of muscle development, but whether it plays a role during aging is unknown. Here we investigated Caenorhabditis elegans miR-1 in muscle function in response to proteostatic stress. mir-1 deletion improved mid-life muscle motility, pharyngeal pumping, and organismal longevity upon polyQ35 proteotoxic challenge. We identified multiple vacuolar ATPase subunits as subject to miR-1 control, and the regulatory subunit vha-13/ATP6V1A as a direct target downregulated via its 3'UTR to mediate miR-1 physiology. miR-1 further regulates nuclear localization of lysosomal biogenesis factor HLH-30/TFEB and lysosomal acidification. Our studies reveal that miR-1 coordinately regulates lysosomal v-ATPase and biogenesis to impact muscle function and health during aging.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Birgit Gerisch
- Max Planck Institute for Biology of AgeingCologneGermany
| | | | - Raymond Laboy
- Max Planck Institute for Biology of AgeingCologneGermany
| | - Jennifer Hewitt
- Max Planck Institute for Biology of AgeingCologneGermany
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas Tech UniversityLubbockUnited States
| | - Martin Sebastian Denzel
- Max Planck Institute for Biology of AgeingCologneGermany
- Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of CologneCologneGermany
| | - Marcelo A Mori
- Laboratory of Aging Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP)CampinasBrazil
- Experimental Medicine Research Cluster (EMRC), University of Campinas (UNICAMP)CampinasBrazil
- Obesity and Comorbidities Research Center (OCRC), University of Campinas (UNICAMP)CampinasBrazil
| | - Siva Vanapalli
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas Tech UniversityLubbockUnited States
| | - Yidong Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of SciencesShanghaiChina
| | | | - Adam Antebi
- Max Planck Institute for Biology of AgeingCologneGermany
- Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of CologneCologneGermany
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23
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Mosquera JV, Bacher MC, Priess JR. Nuclear lipid droplets and nuclear damage in Caenorhabditis elegans. PLoS Genet 2021; 17:e1009602. [PMID: 34133414 PMCID: PMC8208577 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Fat stored in the form of lipid droplets has long been considered a defining characteristic of cytoplasm. However, recent studies have shown that nuclear lipid droplets occur in multiple cells and tissues, including in human patients with fatty liver disease. The function(s) of stored fat in the nucleus has not been determined, and it is possible that nuclear fat is beneficial in some situations. Conversely, nuclear lipid droplets might instead be deleterious by disrupting nuclear organization or triggering aggregation of hydrophobic proteins. We show here that nuclear lipid droplets occur normally in C. elegans intestinal cells and germ cells, but appear to be associated with damage only in the intestine. Lipid droplets in intestinal nuclei can be associated with novel bundles of microfilaments (nuclear actin) and membrane tubules that might have roles in damage repair. To increase the normal, low frequency of nuclear lipid droplets in wild-type animals, we used a forward genetic screen to isolate mutants with abnormally large or abundant nuclear lipid droplets. Genetic analysis and cloning of three such mutants showed that the genes encode the lipid regulator SEIP-1/seipin, the inner nuclear membrane protein NEMP-1/Nemp1/TMEM194A, and a component of COPI vesicles called COPA-1/α-COP. We present several lines of evidence that the nuclear lipid droplet phenotype of copa-1 mutants results from a defect in retrieving mislocalized membrane proteins that normally reside in the endoplasmic reticulum. The seip-1 mutant causes most germ cells to have nuclear lipid droplets, the largest of which occupy more than a third of the nuclear volume. Nevertheless, the nuclear lipid droplets do not trigger apoptosis, and the germ cells differentiate into gametes that produce viable, healthy progeny. Thus, our results suggest that nuclear lipid droplets are detrimental to intestinal nuclei, but have no obvious deleterious effect on germ nuclei.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Meghan C. Bacher
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - James R. Priess
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Program, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
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24
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Brosnan CA, Palmer AJ, Zuryn S. Cell-type-specific profiling of loaded miRNAs from Caenorhabditis elegans reveals spatial and temporal flexibility in Argonaute loading. Nat Commun 2021; 12:2194. [PMID: 33850152 PMCID: PMC8044110 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-22503-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Multicellularity has coincided with the evolution of microRNAs (miRNAs), small regulatory RNAs that are integrated into cellular differentiation and homeostatic gene-regulatory networks. However, the regulatory mechanisms underpinning miRNA activity have remained largely obscured because of the precise, and thus difficult to access, cellular contexts under which they operate. To resolve these, we have generated a genome-wide map of active miRNAs in Caenorhabditis elegans by revealing cell-type-specific patterns of miRNAs loaded into Argonaute (AGO) silencing complexes. Epitope-labelled AGO proteins were selectively expressed and immunoprecipitated from three distinct tissue types and associated miRNAs sequenced. In addition to providing information on biological function, we define adaptable miRNA:AGO interactions with single-cell-type and AGO-specific resolution. We demonstrate spatial and temporal dynamicism, flexibility of miRNA loading, and suggest miRNA regulatory mechanisms via AGO selectivity in different tissues and during ageing. Additionally, we resolve widespread changes in AGO-regulated gene expression by analysing translatomes specifically in neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher A Brosnan
- Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research, Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
| | - Alexander J Palmer
- Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research, Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Steven Zuryn
- Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research, Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
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25
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Ruediger C, Karimzadegan S, Lin S, Shapira M. miR-71 mediates age-dependent opposing contributions of the stress-activated kinase KGB-1 in Caenorhabditis elegans. Genetics 2021; 218:6182682. [PMID: 33755114 PMCID: PMC8619845 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyab049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Studying the evolutionary processes that shaped aging offers a path for understanding the causes of aging. The antagonistic pleiotropy theory for the evolution of aging proposes that the inverse correlation between age and natural selection strength allows positive selection of gene variants with early-life beneficial contributions to fitness despite detrimental late-life consequences. However, mechanistic understanding of how this principle manifests in aging is still lacking. We previously identified antagonistic pleiotropy in the function of the Caenorhabditis elegans JNK homolog KGB-1, which provided stress protection in developing larvae, but sensitized adults to stress and shortened their lifespan. To a large extent, KGB-1's contributions depended on age-dependent and opposing regulation of the stress-protective transcription factor DAF-16, but the underlying mechanisms remained unknown. Here, we describe a role for the microRNA miR-71 in mediating effects of KGB-1 on DAF-16 and downstream phenotypes. Fluorescent imaging along with genetic and survival analyses revealed age-dependent regulation of mir-71 expression by KGB-1-upregulation in larvae, but downregulation in adults-and showed that mir-71 was required both for late-life effects of KGB-1 (infection sensitivity and shortened lifespan), as well as for early life resistance to cadmium. While mir-71 disruption did not compromise development under protein-folding stress (known to depend on KGB-1), disruption of the argonaute gene alg-1, a central component of the microRNA machinery, did. These results suggest that microRNAs play a role in mediating age-dependent antagonistic contributions of KGB-1 to survival, with mir-71 playing a central role and additional microRNAs potentially contributing redundantly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cyrus Ruediger
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California
Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Siavash Karimzadegan
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California
Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Sonya Lin
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California
Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Michael Shapira
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California
Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA,Corresponding author: Department of Integrative Biology,
University of California Berkeley, Room 5190, 3060 Valley Life Sciences Bldg, Berkeley, CA
94720-3140, USA.
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26
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Maniates KA, Olson BS, Abbott AL. Sperm fate is promoted by the mir-44 microRNA family in the Caenorhabditis elegans hermaphrodite germline. Genetics 2021; 217:1-14. [PMID: 33683352 PMCID: PMC8045739 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyaa006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression, typically effected by RNA-binding proteins, microRNAs (miRNAs), and translation initiation factors, is essential for normal germ cell function. Numerous miRNAs have been detected in the germline; however, the functions of specific miRNAs remain largely unknown. Functions of miRNAs have been difficult to determine as miRNAs often modestly repress target mRNAs and are suggested to sculpt or fine tune gene expression to allow for the robust expression of cell fates. In Caenorhabditis elegans hermaphrodites, cell fate decisions are made for germline sex determination during larval development when sperm are generated in a short window before the switch to oocyte production. Here, analysis of newly generated mir-44 family mutants has identified a family of miRNAs that modulate the germline sex determination pathway in C. elegans. Mutants with the loss of mir-44 and mir-45 produce fewer sperm, showing both a delay in the specification and formation of sperm as well as an early termination of sperm specification accompanied by a premature switch to oocyte production. mir-44 and mir-45 are necessary for the normal period of fog-1 expression in larval development. Through genetic analysis, we find that mir-44 and mir-45 may act upstream of fbf-1 and fem-3 to promote sperm specification. Our research indicates that the mir-44 family promotes sperm cell fate specification during larval development and identifies an additional posttranscriptional regulator of the germline sex determination pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine A Maniates
- Department of Biological Sciences, Marquette University, 1428 W. Clybourn Ave, PO Box 1881, Milwaukee, WI 53233, USA
| | - Benjamin S Olson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Marquette University, 1428 W. Clybourn Ave, PO Box 1881, Milwaukee, WI 53233, USA
| | - Allison L Abbott
- Department of Biological Sciences, Marquette University, 1428 W. Clybourn Ave, PO Box 1881, Milwaukee, WI 53233, USA
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27
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Kinser HE, Mosley MC, Plutzer IB, Pincus Z. Global, cell non-autonomous gene regulation drives individual lifespan among isogenic C. elegans. eLife 2021; 10:e65026. [PMID: 33522488 PMCID: PMC7864635 DOI: 10.7554/elife.65026] [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: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Across species, lifespan is highly variable among individuals within a population. Even genetically identical Caenorhabditis elegans reared in homogeneous environments are as variable in lifespan as outbred human populations. We hypothesized that persistent inter-individual differences in expression of key regulatory genes drives this lifespan variability. As a test, we examined the relationship between future lifespan and the expression of 22 microRNA promoter::GFP constructs. Surprisingly, expression of nearly half of these reporters, well before death, could effectively predict lifespan. This indicates that prospectively long- vs. short-lived individuals have highly divergent patterns of transgene expression and transcriptional regulation. The gene-regulatory processes reported on by two of the most lifespan-predictive transgenes do not require DAF-16, the FOXO transcription factor that is a principal effector of insulin/insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) signaling. Last, we demonstrate a hierarchy of redundancy in lifespan-predictive ability among three transgenes expressed in distinct tissues, suggesting that they collectively report on an organism-wide, cell non-autonomous process that acts to set each individual's lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Holly E Kinser
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. LouisSt. LouisUnited States
- Department of Developmental Biology and Department of Genetics, Washington University in St. LouisSt. LouisUnited States
| | - Matthew C Mosley
- Department of Developmental Biology and Department of Genetics, Washington University in St. LouisSt. LouisUnited States
- Program in Developmental, Regenerative, and Stem Cell Biology, Washington University in St. LouisSt. LouisUnited States
| | - Isaac B Plutzer
- Department of Developmental Biology and Department of Genetics, Washington University in St. LouisSt. LouisUnited States
| | - Zachary Pincus
- Department of Developmental Biology and Department of Genetics, Washington University in St. LouisSt. LouisUnited States
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28
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Dexheimer PJ, Wang J, Cochella L. Two MicroRNAs Are Sufficient for Embryonic Patterning in C. elegans. Curr Biol 2020; 30:5058-5065.e5. [PMID: 33125867 PMCID: PMC7758728 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.09.066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Revised: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of post-transcriptional repressors with diverse roles in animal development and physiology [1]. The Microprocessor complex, composed of Drosha and Pasha/DGCR8, is necessary for the biogenesis of all canonical miRNAs and essential for the early stages of animal embryogenesis [2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8]. However, the cause for this requirement is largely unknown. Animals often express hundreds of miRNAs, and it remains unclear whether the Microprocessor is required to produce one or few essential miRNAs or many individually non-essential miRNAs. Additionally, both Drosha and Pasha/DGCR8 bind and cleave a variety of non-miRNA substrates [9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15], and it is unknown whether these activities account for the Microprocessor’s essential requirement. To distinguish between these possibilities, we developed a system in C. elegans to stringently deplete embryos of Microprocessor activity. Using a combination of auxin-inducible degradation (AID) and RNA interference (RNAi), we achieved Drosha and Pasha/DGCR8 depletion starting in the maternal germline, resulting in Microprocessor and miRNA-depleted embryos, which fail to undergo morphogenesis or form organs. Using a Microprocessor-bypass strategy, we show that this early embryonic arrest is rescued by the addition of just two miRNAs, one miR-35 and one miR-51 family member, resulting in morphologically normal larvae. Thus, just two out of ∼150 canonical miRNAs are sufficient for morphogenesis and organogenesis, and the processing of these miRNAs accounts for the essential requirement for Drosha and Pasha/DGCR8 during the early stages of C. elegans embryonic development. Video Abstract
Depletion of Drosha and Pasha results in embryos that fail to undergo morphogenesis The mirtron pathway enables expression of miRNAs in the absence of Drosha and Pasha Two miRNAs are sufficient to rescue embryogenesis in the absence of Drosha and Pasha miR-35 and miR-51 play an unexplored, likely conserved role in animal development
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp J Dexheimer
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Campus-Vienna-Biocenter 1, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Jingkui Wang
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Campus-Vienna-Biocenter 1, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Luisa Cochella
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Campus-Vienna-Biocenter 1, 1030 Vienna, Austria.
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29
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Guo T, Cheng L, Zhao H, Liu Y, Yang Y, Liu J, Wu Q. The C. elegans miR-235 regulates the toxicity of graphene oxide via targeting the nuclear hormone receptor DAF-12 in the intestine. Sci Rep 2020; 10:16933. [PMID: 33037257 PMCID: PMC7547681 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-73712-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2020] [Accepted: 09/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The increased application of graphene oxide (GO), a new carbon-based engineered nanomaterial, has generated a potential toxicity in humans and the environment. Previous studies have identified some dysregulated microRNAs (miRNAs), such as up-regulated mir-235, in organisms exposed to GO. However, the detailed mechanisms of the dysregulation of miRNA underlying GO toxicity are still largely elusive. In this study, we employed Caenorhabditis elegans as an in vivo model to investigate the biological function and molecular basis of mir-235 in the regulation of GO toxicity. After low concentration GO exposure, mir-235 (n4504) mutant nematodes were sensitive to GO toxicity, implying that mir-235 mediates a protection mechanism against GO toxicity. Tissue-specific assays suggested that mir-235 expressed in intestine is required for suppressing the GO toxicity in C. elegans. daf-12, a gene encoding a member of the steroid hormone receptor superfamily, acts as a target gene of mir-235 in the nematode intestine in response to GO treatment, and RNAi knockdown of daf-12 suppressed the sensitivity of mir-235(n4503) to GO toxicity. Further genetic analysis showed that DAF-12 acted in the upstream of DAF-16 in insulin/IGF-1 signaling pathway and PMK-1 in p38 MAPK signaling pathway in parallel to regulate GO toxicity. Altogether, our results revealed that mir-235 may activate a protective mechanism against GO toxicity by suppressing the DAF-12-DAF-16 and DAF-12-PMK-1 signaling cascade in nematodes, which provides an important molecular basis for the in vivo toxicity of GO at the miRNA level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiantian Guo
- Institute of Nephrology, Zhong Da Hospital, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Lu Cheng
- Institute of Nephrology, Zhong Da Hospital, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Huimin Zhao
- Institute of Nephrology, Zhong Da Hospital, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yingying Liu
- Institute of Nephrology, Zhong Da Hospital, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yunhan Yang
- Institute of Nephrology, Zhong Da Hospital, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jie Liu
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Qiuli Wu
- Institute of Nephrology, Zhong Da Hospital, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, China.
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30
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Abstract
A diversity of gene regulatory mechanisms drives the changes in gene expression required for animal development. Here, we discuss the developmental roles of a class of gene regulatory factors composed of a core protein subunit of the Argonaute family and a 21-26-nucleotide RNA cofactor. These represent ancient regulatory complexes, originally evolved to repress genomic parasites such as transposons, viruses and retroviruses. However, over the course of evolution, small RNA-guided pathways have expanded and diversified, and they play multiple roles across all eukaryotes. Pertinent to this review, Argonaute and small RNA-mediated regulation has acquired numerous functions that affect all aspects of animal life. The regulatory function is provided by the Argonaute protein and its interactors, while the small RNA provides target specificity, guiding the Argonaute to a complementary RNA. C. elegans has 19 different, functional Argonautes, defining distinct yet interconnected pathways. Each Argonaute binds a relatively well-defined class of small RNA with distinct molecular properties. A broad classification of animal small RNA pathways distinguishes between two groups: (i) the microRNA pathway is involved in repressing relatively specific endogenous genes and (ii) the other small RNA pathways, which effectively act as a genomic immune system to primarily repress expression of foreign or "non-self" RNA while maintaining correct endogenous gene expression. microRNAs play prominent direct roles in all developmental stages, adult physiology and lifespan. The other small RNA pathways act primarily in the germline, but their impact extends far beyond, into embryogenesis and adult physiology, and even to subsequent generations. Here, we review the mechanisms and developmental functions of the diverse small RNA pathways of C. elegans.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Luisa Cochella
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria.
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31
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Li D, Yuan Y, Wang D. Regulation of response to nanopolystyrene by intestinal microRNA mir-35 in nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 736:139677. [PMID: 32473456 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.139677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2020] [Revised: 05/22/2020] [Accepted: 05/22/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
In nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, mir-35, a microRNA molecule, was involved in the control of response to nanopolystyrene. Exposure to nanopolystyrene (100 nm) could significantly increase the mir-35 expression. However, the underlying mechanism for this role of mir-35 remains largely unclear. Based on analysis of expression levels, phenotypes, and genetic interactions, we examined the underlying mechanism of intestinal mir-35 in regulating the response to nanopolystyrene. In nematodes, we here found that mir-35 acted in the intestine to regulate the response to nanopolystyrene. In the intestine, NDK-1, homolog of NM23-H1, was identified as the direct target of mir-35, suggesting that intestinal mir-35 regulated the response to nanopolystyrene by suppressing the NDK-1 function. Moreover, intestinal NDK-1 could regulate the response to nanopolystyrene by suppressing the function of FOXO transcriptional factor DAF-16 in the insulin signaling pathway. In nanopolystyrene exposed nematodes, kinase suppressors of Ras (KSR-1 and KSR-2) were further identified as downstream targets of intestinal NDK-1. Moreover, DAF-16 functioned with KSR-1 or KSR-2 in different pathways to regulate the response to nanopolystyrene. Therefore, we have identified an intestinal signaling cascade of mir-35-NDK-1-DAF-16/KSR-1/2 to be required for the control of response to nanopolystyrene. Our results provided an important molecular basis for intestinal response to nanopolystyrene in nematodes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Li
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering in Ministry of Education, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Yujie Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering in Ministry of Education, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Dayong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering in Ministry of Education, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China; Shenzhen Ruipuxun Academy for Stem Cell & Regenerative Medicine, Shenzhen 518122, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, School of Environment, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.
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32
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Composition of Caenorhabditis elegans extracellular vesicles suggests roles in metabolism, immunity, and aging. GeroScience 2020; 42:1133-1145. [PMID: 32578074 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-020-00204-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans has been instrumental in the identification of evolutionarily conserved mechanisms of aging. C. elegans also has recently been found to have evolutionarily conserved extracellular vesicle (EV) signaling pathways. We have been developing tools that allow for the detailed study of EV biology in C. elegans. Here we apply our recently published method for high specificity purification of EVs from C. elegans to carry out target-independent proteomic and RNA analysis of nematode EVs. We identify diverse coding and non-coding RNA and protein cargo types commonly found in human EVs. The EV cargo spectrum is distinct from whole worms, suggesting that protein and RNA cargos are actively recruited to EVs. Gene ontology analysis revealed C. elegans EVs are enriched for extracellular-associated and signaling proteins, and network analysis indicates enrichment for metabolic, immune, and basement membrane associated proteins. Tissue enrichment and gene expression analysis suggests the secreted EV proteins are likely to be derived from intestine, muscle, and excretory tissue. An unbiased comparison of the EV proteins with a large database of C. elegans genome-wide microarray data showed significant overlap with gene sets that are associated with aging and immunity. Taken together our data suggest C. elegans could be a promising in vivo model for studying the genetics and physiology of EVs in a variety of contexts including aging, metabolism, and immune response.
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33
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Dexheimer PJ, Cochella L. MicroRNAs: From Mechanism to Organism. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:409. [PMID: 32582699 PMCID: PMC7283388 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.00409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 197] [Impact Index Per Article: 49.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2020] [Accepted: 05/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short, regulatory RNAs that act as post-transcriptional repressors of gene expression in diverse biological contexts. The emergence of small RNA-mediated gene silencing preceded the onset of multicellularity and was followed by a drastic expansion of the miRNA repertoire in conjunction with the evolution of complexity in the plant and animal kingdoms. Along this process, miRNAs became an essential feature of animal development, as no higher metazoan lineage tolerated loss of miRNAs or their associated protein machinery. In fact, ablation of the miRNA biogenesis machinery or the effector silencing factors results in severe embryogenesis defects in every animal studied. In this review, we summarize recent mechanistic insight into miRNA biogenesis and function, while emphasizing features that have enabled multicellular organisms to harness the potential of this broad class of repressors. We first discuss how different mechanisms of regulation of miRNA biogenesis are used, not only to generate spatio-temporal specificity of miRNA production within an animal, but also to achieve the necessary levels and dynamics of expression. We then explore how evolution of the mechanism for small RNA-mediated repression resulted in a diversity of silencing complexes that cause different molecular effects on their targets. Multicellular organisms have taken advantage of this variability in the outcome of miRNA-mediated repression, with differential use in particular cell types or even distinct subcellular compartments. Finally, we present an overview of how the animal miRNA repertoire has evolved and diversified, emphasizing the emergence of miRNA families and the biological implications of miRNA sequence diversification. Overall, focusing on selected animal models and through the lens of evolution, we highlight canonical mechanisms in miRNA biology and their variations, providing updated insight that will ultimately help us understand the contribution of miRNAs to the development and physiology of multicellular organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Luisa Cochella
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
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34
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Amourda C, Saunders TE. The mirtron miR-1010 functions in concert with its host gene SKIP to balance elevation of nAcRβ2. Sci Rep 2020; 10:1688. [PMID: 32015391 PMCID: PMC6997181 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-58655-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2019] [Accepted: 01/19/2020] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Mirtrons are non-canonical miRNAs arising by splicing and debranching from short introns. A plethora of introns have been inferred by computational analyses as potential mirtrons. Yet, few have been experimentally validated and their functions, particularly in relation to their host genes, remain poorly understood. Here, we found that Drosophila larvae lacking either the mirtron miR-1010 or its binding site in the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor β2 (nAcRβ2) 3′UTR fail to grow properly and pupariate. Increase of cortical nAcRβ2 mediated by neural activity elevates the level of intracellular Ca2+, which in turn activates CaMKII and, further downstream, the transcription factor Adf-1. We show that miR-1010 downregulates nAcRβ2. We reveal that Adf-1 initiates the expression of SKIP, the host gene of miR-1010. Preventing synaptic potentials from overshooting their optimal range requires both SKIP to temper synaptic potentials (incoherent feedforward loop) and miR-1010 to reduce nAcRβ2 mRNA levels (negative feedback loop). Our results demonstrate how a mirtron, in coordination with its host gene, contributes to maintaining appropriate receptor levels, which in turn may play a role in maintaining homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Amourda
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore. .,MRC London Institute of Medical Science, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK.
| | - Timothy E Saunders
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore. .,Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore. .,Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*Star, Proteos, Singapore.
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35
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Abstract
Small RNAs are important regulators of gene expression. They were first identified in Caenorhabditis elegans, but it is now apparent that the main small RNA silencing pathways are functionally conserved across diverse organisms. Availability of genome data for an increasing number of parasitic nematodes has enabled bioinformatic identification of small RNA sequences. Expression of these in different lifecycle stages is revealed by small RNA sequencing and microarray analysis. In this review we describe what is known of the three main small RNA classes in parasitic nematodes – microRNAs (miRNAs), Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) – and their proposed functions. miRNAs regulate development in C. elegans and the temporal expression of parasitic nematode miRNAs suggest modulation of target gene levels as parasites develop within the host. miRNAs are also present in extracellular vesicles released by nematodes in vitro, and in plasma from infected hosts, suggesting potential regulation of host gene expression. Roles of piRNAs and siRNAs in suppressing target genes, including transposable elements, are also reviewed. Recent successes in RNAi-mediated gene silencing, and application of small RNA inhibitors and mimics will continue to advance understanding of small RNA functions within the parasite and at the host–parasite interface.
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36
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Marks ND, Winter AD, Gu HY, Maitland K, Gillan V, Ambroz M, Martinelli A, Laing R, MacLellan R, Towne J, Roberts B, Hanks E, Devaney E, Britton C. Profiling microRNAs through development of the parasitic nematode Haemonchus identifies nematode-specific miRNAs that suppress larval development. Sci Rep 2019; 9:17594. [PMID: 31772378 PMCID: PMC6879476 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-54154-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2019] [Accepted: 11/04/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Parasitic nematodes transition between dramatically different free-living and parasitic stages, with correctly timed development and migration crucial to successful completion of their lifecycle. However little is known of the mechanisms controlling these transitions. microRNAs (miRNAs) negatively regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally and regulate development of diverse organisms. Here we used microarrays to determine the expression profile of miRNAs through development and in gut tissue of the pathogenic nematode Haemonchus contortus. Two miRNAs, mir-228 and mir-235, were enriched in infective L3 larvae, an arrested stage analogous to Caenorhabditis elegans dauer larvae. We hypothesized that these miRNAs may suppress development and maintain arrest. Consistent with this, inhibitors of these miRNAs promoted H. contortus development from L3 to L4 stage, while genetic deletion of C. elegans homologous miRNAs reduced dauer arrest. Epistasis studies with C. elegans daf-2 mutants showed that mir-228 and mir-235 synergise with FOXO transcription factor DAF-16 in the insulin signaling pathway. Target prediction suggests that these miRNAs suppress metabolic and transcription factor activity required for development. Our results provide novel insight into the expression and functions of specific miRNAs in regulating nematode development and identify miRNAs and their target genes as potential therapeutic targets to limit parasite survival within the host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neil D Marks
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Bearsden Road, Glasgow, G61 1QH, UK
| | - Alan D Winter
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Bearsden Road, Glasgow, G61 1QH, UK
- West of Scotland Genetic Services, Level 2B, Laboratory Medicine, Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Govan Road, Glasgow, G51 4TF, UK
| | - Henry Y Gu
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Bearsden Road, Glasgow, G61 1QH, UK
| | - Kirsty Maitland
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Bearsden Road, Glasgow, G61 1QH, UK
| | - Victoria Gillan
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Bearsden Road, Glasgow, G61 1QH, UK
| | - Martin Ambroz
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Bearsden Road, Glasgow, G61 1QH, UK
- Department of Biochemical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Charles University, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Axel Martinelli
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, CB10 1SA, UK
- Global Station for Zoonosis Control, Global Institution for Collaborative Research and Education (GI-CoRE), Hokkaido University, N20 W10, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Roz Laing
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Bearsden Road, Glasgow, G61 1QH, UK
| | - Rachel MacLellan
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Bearsden Road, Glasgow, G61 1QH, UK
| | - Jessica Towne
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Bearsden Road, Glasgow, G61 1QH, UK
| | - Brett Roberts
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Bearsden Road, Glasgow, G61 1QH, UK
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University Avenue, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Eve Hanks
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Bearsden Road, Glasgow, G61 1QH, UK
| | - Eileen Devaney
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Bearsden Road, Glasgow, G61 1QH, UK.
| | - Collette Britton
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Bearsden Road, Glasgow, G61 1QH, UK.
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A secreted microRNA disrupts autophagy in distinct tissues of Caenorhabditis elegans upon ageing. Nat Commun 2019; 10:4827. [PMID: 31645592 PMCID: PMC6811558 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-12821-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2018] [Accepted: 09/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Macroautophagy, a key player in protein quality control, is proposed to be systematically impaired in distinct tissues and causes coordinated disruption of protein homeostasis and ageing throughout the body. Although tissue-specific changes in autophagy and ageing have been extensively explored, the mechanism underlying the inter-tissue regulation of autophagy with ageing is poorly understood. Here, we show that a secreted microRNA, mir-83/miR-29, controls the age-related decrease in macroautophagy across tissues in Caenorhabditis elegans. Upregulated in the intestine by hsf-1/HSF1 with age, mir-83 is transported across tissues potentially via extracellular vesicles and disrupts macroautophagy by suppressing CUP-5/MCOLN, a vital autophagy regulator, autonomously in the intestine as well as non-autonomously in body wall muscle. Mutating mir-83 thereby enhances macroautophagy in different tissues, promoting protein homeostasis and longevity. These findings thus identify a microRNA-based mechanism to coordinate the decreasing macroautophagy in various tissues with age. Decreased autophagy is a hallmark of ageing, but its inter-tissue regulation is poorly understood. Here, Zhou et al. identify mir-83 in C. elegans, which is transported across tissues and suppresses autophagy, contributing to age-related decline.
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38
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Chen D, Du Y, Chen H, Fan Y, Fan X, Zhu Z, Wang J, Xiong C, Zheng Y, Hou C, Diao Q, Guo R. Comparative Identification of MicroRNAs in Apis cerana cerana Workers' Midguts in Responseto Nosema ceranae Invasion. INSECTS 2019; 10:E258. [PMID: 31438582 PMCID: PMC6780218 DOI: 10.3390/insects10090258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2019] [Revised: 08/19/2019] [Accepted: 08/19/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Here, the expression profiles and differentially expressed miRNAs (DEmiRNAs) in the midguts of Apis cerana cerana workers at 7 d and 10 d post-inoculation (dpi) with N. ceranae were investigated via small RNA sequencing and bioinformatics. Five hundred and twenty nine (529) known miRNAs and 25 novel miRNAs were identified in this study, and the expression of 16 predicted miRNAs was confirmed by Stem-loop RT-PCR. A total of 14 DEmiRNAs were detected in the midgut at 7 dpi, including eight up-regulated and six down-regulated miRNAs, while 12 DEmiRNAs were observed in the midgut at 10 dpi, including nine up-regulated and three down-regulated ones. Additionally, five DEmiRNAs were shared, while nine and seven DEmiRNAs were specifically expressed in midguts at 7 dpi and 10 dpi. Gene ontology analysis suggested some DEmiRNAs and corresponding target mRNAs were involved in various functions including immune system processes and response to stimulus. KEGG pathway analysis shed light on the potential functions of some DEmiRNAs in regulating target mRNAs engaged in material and energy metabolisms, cellular immunity and the humoral immune system. Further investigation demonstrated a complex regulation network between DEmiRNAs and their target mRNAs, with miR-598-y, miR-252-y, miR-92-x and miR-3654-y at the center. Our results can facilitate future exploration of the regulatory roles of miRNAs in host responses to N. ceranae, and provide potential candidates for further investigation of the molecular mechanisms underlying eastern honeybee-microsporidian interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dafu Chen
- College of Bee Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Yu Du
- College of Bee Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Huazhi Chen
- College of Bee Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Yuanchan Fan
- College of Bee Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Xiaoxue Fan
- College of Bee Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Zhiwei Zhu
- College of Bee Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Jie Wang
- College of Bee Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Cuiling Xiong
- College of Bee Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Yanzhen Zheng
- College of Bee Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Chunsheng Hou
- Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Qingyun Diao
- Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Rui Guo
- College of Bee Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.
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Zhao Y, Jin L, Wang Y, Kong Y, Wang D. Prolonged exposure to multi-walled carbon nanotubes dysregulates intestinal mir-35 and its direct target MAB-3 in nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Sci Rep 2019; 9:12144. [PMID: 31434956 PMCID: PMC6704117 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-48646-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2019] [Accepted: 08/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
In nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, some microRNAs (miRNAs) could be dysregulated by multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), suggesting their involvement in regulating the response of nematodes to MWCNTs. Among these dysregulated miRNAs induced by MWCNT exposure, prolonged exposure to MWCNTs increased mir-35 expression. mir-35 further acted in the intestine to regulate the response to MWCNTs. In the intestine, a transcription factor MAB-3 was identified as its target in regulating the response to MWCNTs. Moreover, during the control of response to MWCNTs, MAB-3 acted upstream of DAF-16, a fork head transcriptional factor in insulin signaling pathway. Therefore, MWCNTs exposure potentially dysregulates intestinal mir-35 and its direct target MAB-3, which may activate a protective intestinal response of nematodes against the MWCNTs toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunli Zhao
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, 233030, China.
- Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China.
| | - Ling Jin
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, 233030, China
| | - Yuan Wang
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, 233030, China
| | - Yan Kong
- Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Dayong Wang
- Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China.
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40
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Wu WS, Huang WC, Brown JS, Zhang D, Song X, Chen H, Tu S, Weng Z, Lee HC. pirScan: a webserver to predict piRNA targeting sites and to avoid transgene silencing in C. elegans. Nucleic Acids Res 2019; 46:W43-W48. [PMID: 29897582 PMCID: PMC6030828 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gky277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2018] [Accepted: 04/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
pirScan is a web-based tool for identifying C. elegans piRNA-targeting sites within a given mRNA or spliced DNA sequence. The purpose of our tool is to allow C. elegans researchers to predict piRNA targeting sites and to avoid the persistent germline silencing of transgenes that has rendered many constructs unusable. pirScan fulfills this purpose by first enumerating the predicted piRNA-targeting sites present in an input sequence. This prediction can be exported in a tabular or graphical format. Subsequently, pirScan suggests silent mutations that can be introduced to the input sequence that would allow the modified transgene to avoid piRNA targeting. The user can customize the piRNA targeting stringency and the silent mutations that he/she wants to introduce into the sequence. The modified sequences can be re-submitted to be certain that any previously present piRNA-targeting sites are now absent and no new piRNA-targeting sites are accidentally generated. This revised sequence can finally be downloaded as a text file and/or visualized in a graphical format. pirScan is freely available for academic use at http://cosbi4.ee.ncku.edu.tw/pirScan/.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei-Sheng Wu
- Department of Electrical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Che Huang
- Department of Electrical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Jordan S Brown
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Donglei Zhang
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xiaoyan Song
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Hao Chen
- Program in Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, University of Mass. Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Shikui Tu
- Program in Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, University of Mass. Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA.,Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhiping Weng
- Program in Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, University of Mass. Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Heng-Chi Lee
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
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Brancati G, Großhans H. An interplay of miRNA abundance and target site architecture determines miRNA activity and specificity. Nucleic Acids Res 2019; 46:3259-3269. [PMID: 29897601 PMCID: PMC5909448 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gky201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2018] [Accepted: 03/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs often occur in families whose members share an identical 5′ terminal ‘seed’ sequence. The seed is a major determinant of miRNA activity, and family members are thought to act redundantly on target mRNAs with perfect seed matches, i.e. sequences complementary to the seed. However, recently sequences outside the seed were reported to promote silencing by individual miRNA family members. Here, we examine this concept and the importance of miRNA specificity for the robustness of developmental gene control. Using the let-7 miRNA family in Caenorhabditis elegans, we find that seed match imperfections can increase specificity by requiring extensive pairing outside the miRNA seed region for efficient silencing and that such specificity is needed for faithful worm development. In addition, for some target site architectures, elevated miRNA levels can compensate for a lack of complementarity outside the seed. Thus, some target sites require higher miRNA concentration for silencing than others, contrasting with a traditional binary distinction between functional and non-functional sites. We conclude that changing miRNA concentrations can alter cellular miRNA target repertoires. This diversifies possible biological outcomes of miRNA-mediated gene regulation and stresses the importance of target validation under physiological conditions to understand miRNA functions in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanna Brancati
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland.,University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Helge Großhans
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland.,University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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42
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Role of PRY-1/Axin in heterochronic miRNA-mediated seam cell development. BMC DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 2019; 19:17. [PMID: 31307392 PMCID: PMC6631683 DOI: 10.1186/s12861-019-0197-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2019] [Accepted: 07/04/2019] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Background Caenorhabditis elegans seam cells serve as a good model to understand how genes and signaling pathways interact to control asymmetric cell fates. The stage-specific pattern of seam cell division is coordinated by a genetic network that includes WNT asymmetry pathway components WRM-1, LIT-1, and POP-1, as well as heterochronic microRNAs (miRNAs) and their downstream targets. Mutations in pry-1, a negative regulator of WNT signaling that belongs to the Axin family, were shown to cause seam cell defects; however, the mechanism of PRY-1 action and its interactions with miRNAs remain unclear. Results We found that pry-1 mutants in C. elegans exhibit seam cell, cuticle, and alae defects. To examine this further, a miRNA transcriptome analysis was carried out, which showed that let-7 (miR-48, miR-84, miR-241) and lin-4 (lin-4, miR-237) family members were upregulated in the absence of pry-1 function. Similar phenotypes and patterns of miRNA overexpression were also observed in C. briggsae pry-1 mutants, a species that is closely related to C. elegans. RNA interference-mediated silencing of wrm-1 and lit-1 in the C. elegans pry-1 mutants rescued the seam cell defect, whereas pop-1 silencing enhanced the phenotype, suggesting that all three proteins are likely important for PRY-1 function in seam cells. We also found that these miRNAs were overexpressed in pop-1 hypomorphic animals, suggesting that PRY-1 may be required for POP-1-mediated miRNA suppression. Analysis of the let-7 and lin-4-family heterochronic targets, lin-28 and hbl-1, showed that both genes were significantly downregulated in pry-1 mutants, and furthermore, lin-28 silencing reduced the number of seam cells in mutant animals. Conclusions Our results show that PRY-1 plays a conserved role to maintain normal expression of heterochronic miRNAs in nematodes. Furthermore, we demonstrated that PRY-1 acts upstream of the WNT asymmetry pathway components WRM-1, LIT-1, and POP-1, and miRNA target genes in seam cell development. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12861-019-0197-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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43
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Kotagama K, Schorr AL, Steber HS, Mangone M. ALG-1 Influences Accurate mRNA Splicing Patterns in the Caenorhabditis elegans Intestine and Body Muscle Tissues by Modulating Splicing Factor Activities. Genetics 2019; 212:931-951. [PMID: 31073019 PMCID: PMC6614907 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.119.302223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2019] [Accepted: 05/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are known to modulate gene expression, but their activity at the tissue-specific level remains largely uncharacterized. To study their contribution to tissue-specific gene expression, we developed novel tools to profile putative miRNA targets in the Caenorhabditis elegans intestine and body muscle. We validated many previously described interactions and identified ∼3500 novel targets. Many of the candidate miRNA targets curated are known to modulate the functions of their respective tissues. Within our data sets we observed a disparity in the use of miRNA-based gene regulation between the intestine and body muscle. The intestine contained significantly more putative miRNA targets than the body muscle highlighting its transcriptional complexity. We detected an unexpected enrichment of RNA-binding proteins targeted by miRNA in both tissues, with a notable abundance of RNA splicing factors. We developed in vivo genetic tools to validate and further study three RNA splicing factors identified as putative miRNA targets in our study (asd-2, hrp-2, and smu-2), and show that these factors indeed contain functional miRNA regulatory elements in their 3'UTRs that are able to repress their expression in the intestine. In addition, the alternative splicing pattern of their respective downstream targets (unc-60, unc-52, lin-10, and ret-1) is dysregulated when the miRNA pathway is disrupted. A reannotation of the transcriptome data in C. elegans strains that are deficient in the miRNA pathway from past studies supports and expands on our results. This study highlights an unexpected role for miRNAs in modulating tissue-specific gene isoforms, where post-transcriptional regulation of RNA splicing factors associates with tissue-specific alternative splicing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kasuen Kotagama
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program, School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287
- Virginia G. Piper Center for Personalized Diagnostics, The Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
| | - Anna L Schorr
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program, School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287
- Virginia G. Piper Center for Personalized Diagnostics, The Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
| | - Hannah S Steber
- Barrett, The Honors College, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85281
| | - Marco Mangone
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program, School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287
- Virginia G. Piper Center for Personalized Diagnostics, The Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
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44
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Xu Y, He Z, Song M, Zhou Y, Shen Y. A microRNA switch controls dietary restriction-induced longevity through Wnt signaling. EMBO Rep 2019; 20:embr.201846888. [PMID: 30872315 DOI: 10.15252/embr.201846888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2018] [Revised: 01/31/2019] [Accepted: 02/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Dietary restriction (DR) is known to have a potent and conserved longevity effect, yet its underlying molecular mechanisms remain elusive. DR modulates signaling pathways in response to nutrient status, a process that also regulates animal development. Here, we show that the suppression of Wnt signaling, a key pathway controlling development, is required for DR-induced longevity in Caenorhabditis elegans We find that DR induces the expression of mir-235, which inhibits cwn-1/WNT4 expression by binding to the 3'-UTR The "switch-on" of mir-235 by DR occurs at the onset of adulthood, thereby minimizing potential disruptions in development. Our results therefore implicate that DR controls the adult lifespan by using a temporal microRNA switch to modulate Wnt signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunpeng Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences-University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhidong He
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences-University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Mengjiao Song
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences-University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yifei Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences-University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yidong Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences-University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
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45
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Nelson C, Ambros V. Trans-splicing of the C. elegans let-7 primary transcript developmentally regulates let-7 microRNA biogenesis and let-7 family microRNA activity. Development 2019; 146:dev172031. [PMID: 30770392 PMCID: PMC6432665 DOI: 10.1242/dev.172031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2018] [Accepted: 02/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The sequence and roles in developmental progression of the microRNA let-7 are conserved. In general, transcription of the let-7 primary transcript (pri-let-7) occurs early in development, whereas processing of the mature let-7 microRNA arises during cellular differentiation. In Caenorhabditiselegans and other animals, the RNA-binding protein LIN-28 post-transcriptionally inhibits let-7 biogenesis at early developmental stages, but the mechanisms by which LIN-28 does this are not fully understood. Nor is it understood how the developmental regulation of let-7 might influence the expression or activities of other microRNAs of the same seed family. Here, we show that pri-let-7 is trans-spliced to the SL1 splice leader downstream of the let-7 precursor stem-loop, which produces a short polyadenylated downstream mRNA, and that this trans-splicing event negatively impacts the biogenesis of mature let-7 microRNA in cis Moreover, this trans-spliced mRNA contains sequences that are complementary to multiple members of the let-7 seed family (let-7fam) and negatively regulates let-7fam function in trans Thus, this study provides evidence for a mechanism by which splicing of a microRNA primary transcript can negatively regulate said microRNA in cis as well as other microRNAs in trans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles Nelson
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Victor Ambros
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
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46
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Zhao L, Dong S, Zhao Y, Shao H, Krasteva N, Wu Q, Wang D. Dysregulation of let-7 by PEG modified graphene oxide in nematodes with deficit in epidermal barrier. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2019; 169:1-7. [PMID: 30412893 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2018.10.106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2018] [Revised: 10/27/2018] [Accepted: 10/29/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
In nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, epidermal RNA interference (RNAi) knockdown of bli-1 encoding a cuticular collagen caused the toxicity induction of GO-PEG (PEG surface modified graphene oxide). In this study, we further found that epidermal RNAi knockdown of bli-1 increased expression of a microRNA let-7, and let-7 mutation suppressed the susceptibility of bli-1(RNAi) nematodes to GO-PEG toxicity. let-7 regulated the toxicity induction of GO-PEG by suppressing expression and function of its direct targets (HBL-1 and LIN-41). Like the nematodes with epidermal RNAi knockdown of bli-1, epidermal RNAi knockdown of hbl-1 or lin-41 also induced functional abnormality in epidermal barrier. Therefore, a signaling cascade of BLI-1-let-7-HBL-1/LIN-41 was raised to be involved in GO-PEG toxicity induction. Our data imply the dysregulation of let-7-mediated molecular machinery for developmental timing control by GO-PEG in nematodes with deficit in epidermal barrier caused by bli-1(RNAi).
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering in Ministry of Education, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Shuangshuang Dong
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering in Ministry of Education, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Yunli Zhao
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu 233030, China
| | - Huimin Shao
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering in Ministry of Education, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Natalia Krasteva
- Institute of Biophysics and Biomedical Engineering, Bulgarian Academy of Science, Sofia 1113, Bulgaria
| | - Qiuli Wu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering in Ministry of Education, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Dayong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering in Ministry of Education, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China.
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Bezler A, Braukmann F, West SM, Duplan A, Conconi R, Schütz F, Gönczy P, Piano F, Gunsalus K, Miska EA, Keller L. Tissue- and sex-specific small RNAomes reveal sex differences in response to the environment. PLoS Genet 2019; 15:e1007905. [PMID: 30735500 PMCID: PMC6383947 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1007905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2018] [Revised: 02/21/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA interference (RNAi) related pathways are essential for germline development and fertility in metazoa and can contribute to inter- and trans-generational inheritance. In the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, environmental double-stranded RNA provided by feeding can lead to heritable changes in phenotype and gene expression. Notably, transmission efficiency differs between the male and female germline, yet the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Here we use high-throughput sequencing of dissected gonads to quantify sex-specific endogenous piRNAs, miRNAs and siRNAs in the C. elegans germline and the somatic gonad. We identify genes with exceptionally high levels of secondary 22G RNAs that are associated with low mRNA expression, a signature compatible with silencing. We further demonstrate that contrary to the hermaphrodite germline, the male germline, but not male soma, is resistant to environmental RNAi triggers provided by feeding, in line with previous work. This sex-difference in silencing efficacy is associated with lower levels of gonadal RNAi amplification products. Moreover, this tissue- and sex-specific RNAi resistance is regulated by the germline, since mutant males with a feminized germline are RNAi sensitive. This study provides important sex- and tissue-specific expression data of miRNA, piRNA and siRNA as well as mechanistic insights into sex-differences of gene regulation in response to environmental cues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Bezler
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Fabian Braukmann
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Sean M. West
- Center for Genomics & Systems Biology, New York University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Arthur Duplan
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Raffaella Conconi
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Frédéric Schütz
- Bioinformatics Core Facility; SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics and Centre for Integrative Genomics, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Pierre Gönczy
- Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (ISREC), Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Fabio Piano
- Center for Genomics & Systems Biology, New York University, New York, New York, United States of America
- Center for Genomics & Systems Biology, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Kristin Gunsalus
- Center for Genomics & Systems Biology, New York University, New York, New York, United States of America
- Center for Genomics & Systems Biology, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Eric A. Miska
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Laurent Keller
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
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Functional genomic analysis identifies miRNA repertoire regulating C. elegans oocyte development. Nat Commun 2018; 9:5318. [PMID: 30552320 PMCID: PMC6294007 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-07791-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2018] [Accepted: 11/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Oocyte-specific miRNA function remains unclear in mice and worms because loss of Dgcr8 and Dicer from mouse and worm oocytes, respectively, does not yield oogenic defects. These data lead to several models: (a) miRNAs are not generated in oocytes; (b) miRNAs are generated but do not perform an oogenic function; (c) functional oocyte miRNAs are generated in a manner independent of these enzymes. Here, we test these models using a combination of genomic, expression and functional analyses on the C. elegans germline. We identify a repertoire of at least twenty-three miRNAs that accumulate in four spatial domains in oocytes. Genetic tests demonstrate that oocyte-expressed miRNAs regulate key oogenic processes within their respective expression domains. Unexpectedly, we find that over half of the oocyte-expressed miRNAs are generated through an unknown Drosha independent mechanism. Thus, a functional miRNA repertoire generated via Drosha dependent and independent pathways regulates C. elegans oocyte development.
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Dzakah EE, Waqas A, Wei S, Yu B, Wang X, Fu T, Liu L, Shan G. Loss of miR-83 extends lifespan and affects target gene expression in an age-dependent manner in Caenorhabditis elegans. J Genet Genomics 2018; 45:651-662. [PMID: 30595472 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgg.2018.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2018] [Revised: 10/11/2018] [Accepted: 11/06/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short non-coding RNAs that are involved in the post-transcriptional regulation of protein-coding genes. miRNAs modulate lifespan and the aging process in a variety of organisms. In this study, we identified a role of miR-83 in regulating lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans. mir-83 mutants exhibited extended lifespan, and the overexpression of miR-83 was sufficient to decrease the prolonged lifespan of the mutants. We observed upregulation of the expression levels of a set of miR-83 target genes in young mir-83 mutant adults; while different sets of genes were upregulated in older mir-83 mutant adults. In vivo assays showed that miR-83 regulated expression of target genes including din-1, spp-9 and col-178, and we demonstrated that daf-16 and din-1 were required for the extension of lifespan in the mir-83 mutants. The regulation of din-1 by miR-83 during aging resulted in the differential expression of din-1 targets such as gst-4 and gst-10. In daf-2 mutants, the expression level of miR-83 was significantly reduced compared to wild-type animals. We identified a role for miR-83 in modulating lifespan in C. elegans and provided molecular insights into its functional mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuel Enoch Dzakah
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China; Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biological Sciences, College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast 03321, Ghana
| | - Ahmed Waqas
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Shuai Wei
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Bin Yu
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Xiaolin Wang
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Tao Fu
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Lei Liu
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Ge Shan
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China; CAS Centre for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China.
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Reece-Hoyes JS, Walhout AJM. Generating Yeast One-Hybrid DNA-Bait Strains. Cold Spring Harb Protoc 2018; 2018:2018/7/pdb.prot094961. [PMID: 29967271 DOI: 10.1101/pdb.prot094961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Generating DNA-bait strains for gateway-compatible yeast one-hybrid (Y1H) screens involves three steps. The first is to generate an Entry clone containing the DNA-bait of interest. Gateway cloning is used to clone larger baits, such as promoters, into pDONR-P4-P1R. (An alternative set of steps is also presented in this protocol that describes the creation of Entry clones by annealing primers and performing conventional ligation into pMW#5-a strategy best suited for smaller DNA-baits up to 100 bp.) The second is to transfer this DNA-bait from the Entry clone to the two Y1H reporter Destination vectors, pMW#2 (HIS3) and pMW#3 (LacZ). A two-step process is used because Entry clones generate a versatile resource that can be used for transfer of DNA-baits into a variety of vectors, for instance, upstream of the green fluorescent protein-encoding ORF to study spatiotemporal expression patterns. The final step is to integrate the HIS3 and LacZ reporter constructs into the genome of the Y1H yeast strain, YM4271. The entire process takes 24-32 d, plus sequence confirmation if necessary.
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