1
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Plazzi F, Le Cras Y, Formaggioni A, Passamonti M. Mitochondrially mediated RNA interference, a retrograde signaling system affecting nuclear gene expression. Heredity (Edinb) 2024; 132:156-161. [PMID: 37714959 PMCID: PMC10923801 DOI: 10.1038/s41437-023-00650-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Several functional classes of short noncoding RNAs are involved in manifold regulatory processes in eukaryotes, including, among the best characterized, miRNAs. One of the most intriguing regulatory networks in the eukaryotic cell is the mito-nuclear crosstalk: recently, miRNA-like elements of mitochondrial origin, called smithRNAs, were detected in a bivalve species, Ruditapes philippinarum. These RNA molecules originate in the organelle but were shown in vivo to regulate nuclear genes. Since miRNA genes evolve easily de novo with respect to protein-coding genes, in the present work we estimate the probability with which a newly arisen smithRNA finds a suitable target in the nuclear transcriptome. Simulations with transcriptomes of 12 bivalve species suggest that this probability is high and not species specific: one in a hundred million (1 × 10-8) if five mismatches between the smithRNA and the 3' mRNA are allowed, yet many more are allowed in animals. We propose that novel smithRNAs may easily evolve as exaptation of the pre-existing mitochondrial RNAs. In turn, the ability of evolving novel smithRNAs may have played a pivotal role in mito-nuclear interactions during animal evolution, including the intriguing possibility of acting as speciation trigger.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Plazzi
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, via Selmi, 3 - 40126, Bologna, BO, Italy.
| | - Youn Le Cras
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, via Selmi, 3 - 40126, Bologna, BO, Italy
- Magistère Européen de Génétique, Université Paris Cité, 85 Boulevard Saint Germain, 75006, Paris, Italy
| | - Alessandro Formaggioni
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, via Selmi, 3 - 40126, Bologna, BO, Italy
| | - Marco Passamonti
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, via Selmi, 3 - 40126, Bologna, BO, Italy
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2
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van Lopik J, Alizada A, Trapotsi MA, Hannon GJ, Bornelöv S, Czech Nicholson B. Unistrand piRNA clusters are an evolutionarily conserved mechanism to suppress endogenous retroviruses across the Drosophila genus. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7337. [PMID: 37957172 PMCID: PMC10643416 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42787-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The PIWI-interacting RNA (piRNA) pathway prevents endogenous genomic parasites, i.e. transposable elements, from damaging the genetic material of animal gonadal cells. Specific regions in the genome, called piRNA clusters, are thought to define each species' piRNA repertoire and therefore its capacity to recognize and silence specific transposon families. The unistrand cluster flamenco (flam) is essential in the somatic compartment of the Drosophila ovary to restrict Gypsy-family transposons from infecting the neighbouring germ cells. Disruption of flam results in transposon de-repression and sterility, yet it remains unknown whether this silencing mechanism is present more widely. Here, we systematically characterise 119 Drosophila species and identify five additional flam-like clusters separated by up to 45 million years of evolution. Small RNA-sequencing validated these as bona-fide unistrand piRNA clusters expressed in somatic cells of the ovary, where they selectively target transposons of the Gypsy family. Together, our study provides compelling evidence of a widely conserved transposon silencing mechanism that co-evolved with virus-like Gypsy-family transposons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasper van Lopik
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Li Ka Shing Centre, Cambridge, CB2 0RE, UK
| | - Azad Alizada
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Li Ka Shing Centre, Cambridge, CB2 0RE, UK
| | - Maria-Anna Trapotsi
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Li Ka Shing Centre, Cambridge, CB2 0RE, UK
| | - Gregory J Hannon
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Li Ka Shing Centre, Cambridge, CB2 0RE, UK
| | - Susanne Bornelöv
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Li Ka Shing Centre, Cambridge, CB2 0RE, UK.
| | - Benjamin Czech Nicholson
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Li Ka Shing Centre, Cambridge, CB2 0RE, UK.
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3
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Lee IHT, Nong W, So WL, Cheung CKH, Xie Y, Baril T, Yip HY, Swale T, Chan SKF, Wei Y, Lo N, Hayward A, Chan TF, Lam HM, Hui JHL. The genome and sex-dependent responses to temperature in the common yellow butterfly, Eurema hecabe. BMC Biol 2023; 21:200. [PMID: 37749565 PMCID: PMC10521528 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-023-01703-1] [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: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) is one of the most geographically widespread insect orders in the world, and its species play important and diverse ecological and applied roles. Climate change is one of the biggest challenges to biodiversity this century, and lepidopterans are vulnerable to climate change. Temperature-dependent gene expression differences are of relevance under the ongoing climate crisis. However, little is known about how climate affects gene expression in lepidopterans and the ecological consequences of this, particularly with respect to genes with biased expression in one of the sexes. The common yellow butterfly, Eurema hecabe (Family Pieridae), is one of the most geographically widespread lepidopterans that can be found in Asia, Africa, and Australia. Nevertheless, what temperature-dependent effects there may be and whether the effects differ between the sexes remain largely unexplored. RESULTS Here, we generated high-quality genomic resources for E. hecabe along with transcriptomes from eight developmental stages. Male and female butterflies were subjected to varying temperatures to assess sex-specific gene expression responses through mRNA and microRNA transcriptomics. We find that there are more temperature-dependent sex-biased genes in females than males, including genes that are involved in a range of biologically important functions, highlighting potential ecological impacts of increased temperatures. Further, by considering available butterfly data on sex-biased gene expression in a comparative genomic framework, we find that the pattern of sex-biased gene expression identified in E. hecabe is highly species-specific, rather than conserved across butterfly species, suggesting that sex-biased gene expression responses to climate change are complex in butterflies. CONCLUSIONS Our study lays the foundation for further understanding of differential responses to environmental stress in a widespread lepidopteran model and demonstrates the potential complexity of sex-specific responses of lepidopterans to climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivy H T Lee
- School of Life Sciences, Simon F.S. Li Marine Science Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, Institute of Environment, Energy and Sustainability, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Wenyan Nong
- School of Life Sciences, Simon F.S. Li Marine Science Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, Institute of Environment, Energy and Sustainability, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Wai Lok So
- School of Life Sciences, Simon F.S. Li Marine Science Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, Institute of Environment, Energy and Sustainability, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Chris K H Cheung
- School of Life Sciences, Simon F.S. Li Marine Science Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, Institute of Environment, Energy and Sustainability, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yichun Xie
- School of Life Sciences, Simon F.S. Li Marine Science Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, Institute of Environment, Energy and Sustainability, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | | | - Ho Yin Yip
- School of Life Sciences, Simon F.S. Li Marine Science Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, Institute of Environment, Energy and Sustainability, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | | | - Simon K F Chan
- Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yingying Wei
- Department of Statistics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Nathan Lo
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | | | - Ting Fung Chan
- School of Life Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Hon-Ming Lam
- School of Life Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, Institute of Environment, Energy and Sustainability, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jerome H L Hui
- School of Life Sciences, Simon F.S. Li Marine Science Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, Institute of Environment, Energy and Sustainability, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
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4
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Umu SU, Paynter VM, Trondsen H, Buschmann T, Rounge TB, Peterson KJ, Fromm B. Accurate microRNA annotation of animal genomes using trained covariance models of curated microRNA complements in MirMachine. CELL GENOMICS 2023; 3:100348. [PMID: 37601971 PMCID: PMC10435380 DOI: 10.1016/j.xgen.2023.100348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023]
Abstract
The annotation of microRNAs depends on the availability of transcriptomics data and expert knowledge. This has led to a gap between the availability of novel genomes and high-quality microRNA complements. Using >16,000 microRNAs from the manually curated microRNA gene database MirGeneDB, we generated trained covariance models for all conserved microRNA families. These models are available in our tool MirMachine, which annotates conserved microRNAs within genomes. We successfully applied MirMachine to a range of animal species, including those with large genomes and genome duplications and extinct species, where small RNA sequencing is hard to achieve. We further describe a microRNA score of expected microRNAs that can be used to assess the completeness of genome assemblies. MirMachine closes a long-persisting gap in the microRNA field by facilitating automated genome annotation pipelines and deeper studies into the evolution of genome regulation, even in extinct organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sinan Uğur Umu
- Department of Pathology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Vanessa M. Paynter
- The Arctic University Museum of Norway, UiT - The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Håvard Trondsen
- Department of Pathology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Trine B. Rounge
- Department of Research, Cancer Registry of Norway, Oslo, Norway
- Centre for Bioinformatics, Department of Pharmacy, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Kevin J. Peterson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Bastian Fromm
- The Arctic University Museum of Norway, UiT - The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
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5
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Lee S, Jee D, Srivastava S, Yang A, Ramidi A, Shang R, Bortolamiol-Becet D, Pfeffer S, Gu S, Wen J, Lai EC. Promiscuous splicing-derived hairpins are dominant substrates of tailing-mediated defense of miRNA biogenesis in mammals. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112111. [PMID: 36800291 PMCID: PMC10508058 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112111] [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: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Canonical microRNA (miRNA) hairpins are processed by the RNase III enzymes Drosha and Dicer into ∼22 nt RNAs loaded into an Argonaute (Ago) effector. In addition, splicing generates numerous intronic hairpins that bypass Drosha (mirtrons) to yield mature miRNAs. Here, we identify hundreds of previously unannotated, splicing-derived hairpins in intermediate-length (∼50-100 nt) but not small (20-30 nt) RNA data. Since we originally defined mirtrons from small RNA duplexes, we term this larger set as structured splicing-derived RNAs (ssdRNAs). These associate with Dicer and/or Ago complexes, but generally accumulate modestly and are poorly conserved. We propose they contaminate the canonical miRNA pathway, which consequently requires defense against the siege of splicing-derived substrates. Accordingly, ssdRNAs/mirtrons comprise dominant hairpin substrates for 3' tailing by multiple terminal nucleotidyltransferases, notably TUT4/7 and TENT2. Overall, the rampant proliferation of young mammalian mirtrons/ssdRNAs, coupled with an inhibitory molecular defense, comprises a Red Queen's race of intragenomic conflict.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seungjae Lee
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan-Kettering Institute, 1275 York Avenue, Box 252, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - David Jee
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan-Kettering Institute, 1275 York Avenue, Box 252, New York, NY 10065, USA; Weill Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Sid Srivastava
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan-Kettering Institute, 1275 York Avenue, Box 252, New York, NY 10065, USA; High Technology High School, Lincroft, NJ 07738, USA
| | - Acong Yang
- RNA Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, 8 National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Abhinav Ramidi
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan-Kettering Institute, 1275 York Avenue, Box 252, New York, NY 10065, USA; High Technology High School, Lincroft, NJ 07738, USA
| | - Renfu Shang
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan-Kettering Institute, 1275 York Avenue, Box 252, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Diane Bortolamiol-Becet
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan-Kettering Institute, 1275 York Avenue, Box 252, New York, NY 10065, USA; Université de Strasbourg, Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire du CNRS, 2 Allée Konrad Roentgen, 67084 Strasbourg, France
| | - Sébastien Pfeffer
- Université de Strasbourg, Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire du CNRS, 2 Allée Konrad Roentgen, 67084 Strasbourg, France
| | - Shuo Gu
- RNA Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, 8 National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Jiayu Wen
- Division of Genome Sciences and Cancer, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
| | - Eric C Lai
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan-Kettering Institute, 1275 York Avenue, Box 252, New York, NY 10065, USA; Weill Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA.
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6
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Guo L, Ren D, Zhang Y, Wang Q, Yu S, Xu X, Luo L, Yu J, Liang T. A comprehensive pan-cancer analysis reveals cancer-associated robust isomiR expression landscapes in miRNA arm switching. Mol Genet Genomics 2023; 298:521-535. [PMID: 36813858 DOI: 10.1007/s00438-023-01997-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs), important regulators of gene expression, play critical roles in various biological processes and tumorigenesis. To reveal the potential relationships between multiple isomiRs and arm switching, we performed a comprehensive pan-cancer analysis to discuss their roles in tumorigenesis and cancer prognosis. Our results showed that many miR-#-5p and miR-#-3p pairs from the two arms of pre-miRNA may have abundant expression levels, and they are often involved in distinct functional regulatory networks by targeting different mRNAs, although they may also interact with common targets. The two arms may show diverse isomiR expression landscapes, and their expression ratio might vary, mainly depending on tissue type. Dominantly expressed isomiRs can be used to determine distinct cancer subtypes that are associated with clinical outcome, indicating that they may be potential prognostic biomarkers. Our findings indicate robust and flexible isomiR expression landscapes that will enrich the study of miRNAs/isomiRs and aid in revealing the potential roles of multiple isomiRs yielded by arm switching in tumorigenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Guo
- Department of Bioinformatics, Smart Health Big Data Analysis and Location Services Engineering Lab of Jiangsu Province, School of Geographic and Biologic Information, Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Dekang Ren
- Department of Bioinformatics, Smart Health Big Data Analysis and Location Services Engineering Lab of Jiangsu Province, School of Geographic and Biologic Information, Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Yuting Zhang
- Department of Bioinformatics, Smart Health Big Data Analysis and Location Services Engineering Lab of Jiangsu Province, School of Geographic and Biologic Information, Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Qiushi Wang
- Department of Bioinformatics, Smart Health Big Data Analysis and Location Services Engineering Lab of Jiangsu Province, School of Geographic and Biologic Information, Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Shiyi Yu
- Department of Bioinformatics, Smart Health Big Data Analysis and Location Services Engineering Lab of Jiangsu Province, School of Geographic and Biologic Information, Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Xinru Xu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular and Medical Biotechnology, School of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Lulu Luo
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular and Medical Biotechnology, School of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Jiafeng Yu
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biophysics, Institute of Biophysics, Dezhou University, Dezhou, 253023, China
| | - Tingming Liang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular and Medical Biotechnology, School of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China.
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7
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Marco A. The chromosomal distribution of sex-biased microRNAs in Drosophila is non-adaptive. Genome Biol Evol 2022; 14:6637416. [PMID: 35809037 PMCID: PMC9290354 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evac103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Genes are often differentially expressed between males and females. In Drosophila melanogaster, the analysis of sex-biased microRNAs (short noncoding regulatory molecules) has revealed striking differences with protein-coding genes. Mainly, the X chromosome is enriched in male-biased microRNA genes, although it is depleted of male-biased protein-coding genes. The paucity of male-biased genes in the X chromosome is generally explained by an evolutionary process called demasculinization. I suggest that the excess of male-biased microRNAs in the X chromosome is due to high rates of de novo emergence of microRNAs (mostly in other neighboring microRNAs), a tendency of novel microRNAs in the X chromosome to be expressed in testis, and to a lack of a demasculinization process. To test this hypothesis, I analyzed the expression profile of microRNAs in males, females, and gonads in D. pseudoobscura, in which an autosome translocated into the X chromosome effectively becoming part of a sex chromosome (neo-X). I found that the pattern of sex-biased expression is generally conserved between D. melanogaster and D. pseudoobscura. Also, orthologous microRNAs in both species conserve their chromosomal location, indicating that there is no evidence of demasculinization or other interchromosomal movement of microRNAs. Drosophila pseudoobscura-specific microRNAs in the neo-X chromosome tend to be male-biased and particularly expressed in testis. In summary, the apparent paradox resulting from male-biased protein-coding genes depleted in the X chromosome and an enrichment in male-biased microRNAs is consistent with different evolutionary dynamics between coding genes and short RNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Marco
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester, United Kingdom
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8
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Huang Y, Shang R, Lu GA, Zeng W, Huang C, Zou C, Tang T. Spatiotemporal Regulation of a Single Adaptively Evolving Trans-Regulatory Element Contributes to Spermatogenetic Expression Divergence in Drosophila. Mol Biol Evol 2022; 39:6605656. [PMID: 35687719 PMCID: PMC9254010 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msac127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Due to extensive pleiotropy, trans-acting elements are often thought to be evolutionarily constrained. While the impact of trans-acting elements on gene expression evolution has been extensively studied, relatively little is understood about the contribution of a single trans regulator to interspecific expression and phenotypic divergence. Here, we disentangle the effects of genomic context and miR-983, an adaptively evolving young microRNA, on expression divergence between Drosophila melanogaster and D. simulans. We show miR-983 effects promote interspecific expression divergence in testis despite its antagonism with the often-predominant context effects. Single-cyst RNA-seq reveals that distinct sets of genes gain and lose miR-983 influence under disruptive or diversifying selection at different stages of spermatogenesis, potentially helping minimize antagonistic pleiotropy. At the round spermatid stage, the effects of miR-983 are weak and distributed, coincident with the transcriptome undergoing drastic expression changes. Knocking out miR-983 causes reduced sperm length with increased within-individual variation in D. melanogaster but not in D. simulans, and the D. melanogaster knockout also exhibits compromised sperm defense ability. Our results provide empirical evidence for the resolution of antagonistic pleiotropy and also have broad implications for the function and evolution of new trans regulators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yumei Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, 510275 Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Rui Shang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, 510275 Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Guang-An Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, 510275 Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Weishun Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, 510275 Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Chenglong Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, 510275 Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Chuangchao Zou
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, 510275 Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Tian Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, 510275 Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
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9
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Khanal S, Zancanela BS, Peter JO, Flynt AS. The Small RNA Universe of Capitella teleta. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:802814. [PMID: 35281272 PMCID: PMC8915122 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.802814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
RNAi is an evolutionarily fluid mechanism with dramatically different activities across animal phyla. One major group where there has been little investigation is annelid worms. Here, the small RNAs of the polychaete developmental model Capitella teleta are profiled across development. As is seen with nearly all animals, nearly 200 microRNAs were found with 58 high-confidence novel species. Greater miRNA diversity was associated with later stages consistent with differentiation of tissues. Outside miRNA, a distinct composition of other small RNA pathways was found. Unlike many invertebrates, an endogenous siRNA pathway was not observed, indicating pathway loss relative to basal planarians. No processively generated siRNA-class RNAs could be found arising from dsRNA precursors. This has a significant impact on RNAi technology development for this group of animals. Unlike the apparent absence of siRNAs, a significant population of piRNAs was observed. For many piRNAs, phasing and ping-pong biogenesis pathways were identified. Interestingly, piRNAs were found to be highly expressed during early development, suggesting a potential role in regulation in metamorphosis. Critically, the configuration of RNAi factors in C. teleta is found in other annelids and mollusks, suggesting that similar biology is likely to be present in the wider clade. This study is the first in providing comprehensive analysis of small RNAs in annelids.
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10
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Akao Y, Kuranaga Y, Heishima K, Sugito N, Morikawa K, Ito Y, Soga T, Ito T. Plant hvu-MIR168-3p enhances expression of glucose transporter 1 (SLC2A1) in human cells by silencing genes related to mitochondrial electron transport chain complex I. J Nutr Biochem 2021; 101:108922. [PMID: 34856354 DOI: 10.1016/j.jnutbio.2021.108922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Revised: 09/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Diet is a crucial factor for preventing most diseases. Edible plant extracts are known to contain exosome-like nanoparticles, in which food-derived plant microRNAs are included and may serve as a novel functional component in human health. Here, we demonstrated that hvu-MIR168-3p included in the nanoparticles of rice aleurone cells down-regulated the expression of the genes related to mitochondrial electron transport chain complex I in human cells. Subsequently, hvu-MIR168-3p enhanced protein and RNA expression levels of glucose transporter I and caused a decrease in the blood glucose level, which findings were obtained by in vitro and in vivo experiments, respectively. These findings suggest that a cross-kingdom relationship between plants and humans with respect to hvu-MIR168-3p exists and may contribute to preventive medicine for GLUT1-related dysfunctions including glucose metabolism, aging, and tumor immunology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yukihiro Akao
- United Graduate School of Drug Discovery and Medical Information Sciences, Gifu University, Japan.
| | - Yuki Kuranaga
- United Graduate School of Drug Discovery and Medical Information Sciences, Gifu University, Japan
| | - Kazuki Heishima
- United Graduate School of Drug Discovery and Medical Information Sciences, Gifu University, Japan
| | - Nobuhiko Sugito
- United Graduate School of Drug Discovery and Medical Information Sciences, Gifu University, Japan
| | - Kohei Morikawa
- United Graduate School of Drug Discovery and Medical Information Sciences, Gifu University, Japan
| | - Yuko Ito
- Department of General and Gastroenterological Surgery, Osaka Medical College, Takatsuki, Japan
| | - Tomoyoshi Soga
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Keio University, Tsuruoka, Yamagata, Japan
| | - Tomohiro Ito
- Laboratory for Molecular Chemistry of Aquatic Materials, Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Bioresources, Mie University, Tsu, Mie, Japan
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11
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Lyu Y, Liufu Z, Xiao J, Tang T. A Rapid Evolving microRNA Cluster Rewires Its Target Regulatory Networks in Drosophila. Front Genet 2021; 12:760530. [PMID: 34777478 PMCID: PMC8581666 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.760530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
New miRNAs are evolutionarily important but their functional evolution remains unclear. Here we report that the evolution of a microRNA cluster, mir-972C rewires its downstream regulatory networks in Drosophila. Genomic analysis reveals that mir-972C originated in the common ancestor of Drosophila where it comprises six old miRNAs. It has subsequently recruited six new members in the melanogaster subgroup after evolving for at least 50 million years. Both the young and the old mir-972C members evolved rapidly in seed and non-seed regions. Combining target prediction and cell transfection experiments, we found that the seed and non-seed changes in individual mir-972C members cause extensive target divergence among D. melanogaster, D. simulans, and D. virilis, consistent with the functional evolution of mir-972C reported recently. Intriguingly, the target pool of the cluster as a whole remains relatively conserved. Our results suggest that clustering of young and old miRNAs broadens the target repertoires by acquiring new targets without losing many old ones. This may facilitate the establishment of new miRNAs in existing regulatory networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Lyu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhongqi Liufu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Juan Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tian Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
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12
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Gebert D, Neubert LK, Lloyd C, Gui J, Lehmann R, Teixeira FK. Large Drosophila germline piRNA clusters are evolutionarily labile and dispensable for transposon regulation. Mol Cell 2021; 81:3965-3978.e5. [PMID: 34352205 PMCID: PMC8516431 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2021.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Revised: 05/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
PIWI proteins and their guiding Piwi-interacting small RNAs (piRNAs) are crucial for fertility and transposon defense in the animal germline. In most species, the majority of piRNAs are produced from distinct large genomic loci, called piRNA clusters. It is assumed that germline-expressed piRNA clusters, particularly in Drosophila, act as principal regulators to control transposons dispersed across the genome. Here, using synteny analysis, we show that large clusters are evolutionarily labile, arise at loci characterized by recurrent chromosomal rearrangements, and are mostly species-specific across the Drosophila genus. By engineering chromosomal deletions in D. melanogaster, we demonstrate that the three largest germline clusters, which account for the accumulation of >40% of all transposon-targeting piRNAs in ovaries, are neither required for fertility nor for transposon regulation in trans. We provide further evidence that dispersed elements, rather than the regulatory action of large Drosophila germline clusters in trans, may be central for transposon defense.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Gebert
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EH, UK
| | - Lena K Neubert
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EH, UK
| | - Catrin Lloyd
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EH, UK
| | - Jinghua Gui
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EH, UK
| | - Ruth Lehmann
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) and Kimmel Center for Biology and Medicine of the Skirball Institute, Department of Cell Biology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.
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13
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Evolution and Phylogeny of MicroRNAs - Protocols, Pitfalls, and Problems. Methods Mol Biol 2021. [PMID: 34432281 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1170-8_11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/17/2023]
Abstract
MicroRNAs are important regulators in many eukaryotic lineages. Typical miRNAs have a length of about 22nt and are processed from precursors that form a characteristic hairpin structure. Once they appear in a genome, miRNAs are among the best-conserved elements in both animal and plant genomes. Functionally, they play an important role in particular in development. In contrast to protein-coding genes, miRNAs frequently emerge de novo. The genomes of animals and plants harbor hundreds of mutually unrelated families of homologous miRNAs that tend to be persistent throughout evolution. The evolution of their genomic miRNA complement closely correlates with important morphological innovation. In addition, miRNAs have been used as valuable characters in phylogenetic studies. An accurate and comprehensive annotation of miRNAs is required as a basis to understand their impact on phenotypic evolution. Since experimental data on miRNA expression are limited to relatively few species and are subject to unavoidable ascertainment biases, it is inevitable to complement miRNA sequencing by homology based annotation methods. This chapter reviews the state of the art workflows for homology based miRNA annotation, with an emphasis on their limitations and open problems.
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14
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Flynt AS. Insecticidal RNA interference, thinking beyond long dsRNA. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2021; 77:2179-2187. [PMID: 33078549 PMCID: PMC8048086 DOI: 10.1002/ps.6147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Revised: 10/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Over 20 years ago double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) was described as the trigger of RNAi interference (RNAi)-based gene silencing. This paradigm has held since, especially for insect biopesticide technologies where dsRNAs, similar to those described in 1998, are used to inhibit gene expression. In the intervening years, investigation of RNAi pathways has revealed the small RNA effectors of RNAi are diverse and rapidly evolving. The rich biology of insect small RNAs suggests potential to use multiple RNAi modes for manipulating gene expression. By exploiting different RNAi pathways, the menu of options for pest control can be expanded and could lead to better tailored solutions. Fortunately, basic delivery strategies used for dsRNA such as direct application or transgenic expression will translate well between RNAs transiting different RNAi pathways. Importantly, further engineering of RNAi-based biopesticides may provide an opportunity to address dsRNA insensitivity seen in some pests. Characterization of RNAi pathways unique to target species will be indispensable to this end and may require thinking beyond long dsRNA. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex S Flynt
- Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, USA
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15
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Guo L, Li Y, Cirillo KM, Marick RA, Su Z, Yin X, Hua X, Mills GB, Sahni N, Yi SS. mi-IsoNet: systems-scale microRNA landscape reveals rampant isoform-mediated gain of target interaction diversity and signaling specificity. Brief Bioinform 2021; 22:6225086. [PMID: 33855356 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbab091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Revised: 02/27/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
MicroRNA (miRNA) is not a single sequence, but a series of multiple variants (also termed isomiRs) with sequence and expression heterogeneity. Whether and how these isoforms contribute to functional variation and complexity at the systems and network levels remain largely unknown. To explore this question systematically, we comprehensively analyzed the expression of small RNAs and their target sites to interrogate functional variations between novel isomiRs and their canonical miRNA sequences. Our analyses of the pan-cancer landscape of miRNA expression indicate that multiple isomiRs generated from the same miRNA locus often exhibit remarkable variation in their sequence, expression and function. We interrogated abundant and differentially expressed 5' isomiRs with novel seed sequences via seed shifting and identified many potential novel targets of these 5' isomiRs that would expand interaction capabilities between small RNAs and mRNAs, rewiring regulatory networks and increasing signaling circuit complexity. Further analyses revealed that some miRNA loci might generate diverse dominant isomiRs that often involved isomiRs with varied seeds and arm-switching, suggesting a selective advantage of multiple isomiRs in regulating gene expression. Finally, experimental validation indicated that isomiRs with shifted seed sequences could regulate novel target mRNAs and therefore contribute to regulatory network rewiring. Our analysis uncovers a widespread expansion of isomiR and mRNA interaction networks compared with those seen in canonical small RNA analysis; this expansion suggests global gene regulation network perturbations by alternative small RNA variants or isoforms. Taken together, the variations in isomiRs that occur during miRNA processing and maturation are likely to play a far more complex and plastic role in gene regulation than previously anticipated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Guo
- Department of Systems Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Yongsheng Li
- Department of Oncology, Livestrong Cancer Institutes, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Kara M Cirillo
- Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Smithville, TX 78957, USA
| | - Robert A Marick
- Department of Oncology, Livestrong Cancer Institutes, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Zhe Su
- Department of Oncology, Livestrong Cancer Institutes, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Xing Yin
- Department of Oncology, Livestrong Cancer Institutes, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Xu Hua
- Department of Systems Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Gordon B Mills
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Cancer Biology, School of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97201, USA.,Precision Oncology, Knight Cancer Institute, Portland, OR 97201, USA
| | - Nidhi Sahni
- Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Smithville, TX 78957, USA.,Program in Quantitative and Computational Biosciences (QCB), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.,Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - S Stephen Yi
- Department of Oncology, Livestrong Cancer Institutes, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.,Oden Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences (ICES), The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.,Interdisciplinary Life Sciences Graduate Programs (ILSGP), College of Natural Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cockrell School of Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
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16
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Zhao Y, Lu GA, Yang H, Lin P, Liufu Z, Tang T, Xu J. Run or Die in the Evolution of New MicroRNAs-Testing the Red Queen Hypothesis on De Novo New Genes. Mol Biol Evol 2021; 38:1544-1553. [PMID: 33306129 PMCID: PMC8042761 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msaa317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The Red Queen hypothesis depicts evolution as the continual struggle to adapt. According to this hypothesis, new genes, especially those originating from nongenic sequences (i.e., de novo genes), are eliminated unless they evolve continually in adaptation to a changing environment. Here, we analyze two Drosophila de novo miRNAs that are expressed in a testis-specific manner with very high rates of evolution in their DNA sequence. We knocked out these miRNAs in two sibling species and investigated their contributions to different fitness components. We observed that the fitness contributions of miR-975 in Drosophila simulans seem positive, in contrast to its neutral contributions in D. melanogaster, whereas miR-983 appears to have negative contributions in both species, as the fitness of the knockout mutant increases. As predicted by the Red Queen hypothesis, the fitness difference of these de novo miRNAs indicates their different fates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yixin Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Guang-An Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Hao Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Pei Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhongqi Liufu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Tian Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jin Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
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17
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Huang X, Li S, Liu X, Huang S, Li S, Zhuo M. Analysis of conserved miRNAs in cynomolgus macaque genome using small RNA sequencing and homology searching. PeerJ 2020; 8:e9347. [PMID: 32728489 PMCID: PMC7357559 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.9347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2019] [Accepted: 05/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are important regulators that fine-tune diverse cellular activities. Cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis) are used extensively in biomedical and pharmaceutical research; however, substantially fewer miRNAs have been identified in this species than in humans. Consequently, we investigated conserved miRNA profiles in cynomolgus macaques by homology searching and small RNA sequencing. In total, 1,455 high-confidence miRNA gene loci were identified, 408 of which were also confirmed by RNA sequencing, including 73 new miRNA loci reported in cynomolgus macaques for the first time. Comparing miRNA expression with age, we found a positive correlation between sequence conservation and expression levels during miRNA evolution. Additionally, we found that the miRNA gene locations in cynomolgus macaque genome were very flexible. Most were embedded in intergenic spaces or introns and clustered together. Several miRNAs were found in certain gene locations, including 64 exon-resident miRNAs, six splice-site-overlapping miRNAs (SO-miRNAs), and two pairs of distinct mirror miRNAs. We also identified 78 miRNA clusters, 68 of which were conserved in the human genome, including 10 large miRNA clusters predicted to regulate diverse developmental and cellular processes in cynomolgus macaque. Thus, this study not only expands the number of identified miRNAs in cynomolgus macaques but also provides clues for future research on the differences in miRNA repertoire between macaques and humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xia Huang
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Shijia Li
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiaoming Liu
- Guangzhou Tulip Information Technologies Ltd., Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Shuting Huang
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Shuang Li
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Min Zhuo
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
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18
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Ji L, Chen W, Fan X, Zhou F, Deng X, Gu J. Overexpression of lincRNA02471 promote cancer development though miR-758/HIPK3 signaling pathway in papillary thyroid cancer. Am J Transl Res 2020; 12:531-540. [PMID: 32194901 PMCID: PMC7061828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2019] [Accepted: 01/17/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
AIMS In previous studies, numerous differential lncRNAs were identified via RNA-sequencing. In this dysregulated lncRNAs, lincRNA02471 attracted our attention due to its highest fold change. The aims of our study mainly focused on the function and mechanism of lincRNA02471 in papillary thyroid cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS Overexpression and knockdown vectors were constructed to investigate the function of lincRNA02471. Proliferation, apoptosis, invasion and EMT were performed to assess the function of lincRNA02471. Dual-luciferase reporter assay was performed to explore the relationship between lincRNA02471 and miR-758. RESULTS We found that lincRNA02471 was manifestly upregulated in papillary cancer tissues. Overexpression of lincRNA02471 significantly promoted the cell proliferation, invasion and inhibited cell apoptosis. Knockdown of lincRNA02471 inhibited the cancer development. We also found that lincRNA02471 negatively regulate miR-758 in papillary thyroid cancer. miR-758 can restore the effect of lincRNA02471. Besides, we identified that HIPK3 was the direct target of miR-758. CONCLUSION we performed comprehensive study of lincRNA02471 and explore its function and mechanism in papillary thyroid cancer. lincRNA02471 can sponge miR-758 and positively regulate HIPK3 to promote papillary thyroid cancer development. Our study provides new target for clinical treatment and new clues for understanding the molecular mechanism of cancer development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lili Ji
- Department of Ultrasonography, The Affiliated Infectious Disease Hospital of Soochow UniversitySuzhou, Jiangsu Province, PR China
| | - Wenying Chen
- Center for Medical Ultrasound, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical UniversitySuzhou, Jiangsu Province, PR China
| | - Xing Fan
- Department of Ultrasonography, The Affiliated Suzhou Science & Technology Town Hospital of Nanjing Medical UniversitySuzhou, Jiangsu Province, PR China
| | - Feng Zhou
- Department of Ultrasonography, The Affiliated Suzhou Science & Technology Town Hospital of Nanjing Medical UniversitySuzhou, Jiangsu Province, PR China
| | - Xuedong Deng
- Center for Medical Ultrasound, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical UniversitySuzhou, Jiangsu Province, PR China
| | - Jun Gu
- Center for Medical Ultrasound, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical UniversitySuzhou, Jiangsu Province, PR China
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19
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Simkin A, Geissler R, McIntyre ABR, Grimson A. Evolutionary dynamics of microRNA target sites across vertebrate evolution. PLoS Genet 2020; 16:e1008285. [PMID: 32012152 PMCID: PMC7018135 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1008285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2019] [Revised: 02/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) control the abundance of the majority of the vertebrate transcriptome. The recognition sequences, or target sites, for bilaterian miRNAs are found predominantly in the 3' untranslated regions (3'UTRs) of mRNAs, and are amongst the most highly conserved motifs within 3'UTRs. However, little is known regarding the evolutionary pressures that lead to loss and gain of such target sites. Here, we quantify the selective pressures that act upon miRNA target sites. Notably, selective pressure extends beyond deeply conserved binding sites to those that have undergone recent substitutions. Our approach reveals that even amongst ancient animal miRNAs, which exert the strongest selective pressures on 3'UTR sequences, there are striking differences in patterns of target site evolution between miRNAs. Considering only ancient animal miRNAs, we find three distinct miRNA groups, each exhibiting characteristic rates of target site gain and loss during mammalian evolution. The first group both loses and gains sites rarely. The second group shows selection only against site loss, with site gains occurring at a neutral rate, whereas the third loses and gains sites at neutral or above expected rates. Furthermore, mutations that alter the strength of existing target sites are disfavored. Applying our approach to individual transcripts reveals variation in the distribution of selective pressure across the transcriptome and between miRNAs, ranging from strong selection acting on a small subset of targets of some miRNAs, to weak selection on many targets for other miRNAs. miR-20 and miR-30, and many other miRNAs, exhibit broad, deeply conserved targeting, while several other comparably ancient miRNAs show a lack of selective constraint, and a small number, including mir-146, exhibit evidence of rapidly evolving target sites. Our approach adds valuable perspective on the evolution of miRNAs and their targets, and can also be applied to characterize other 3'UTR regulatory motifs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfred Simkin
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
- Department of Biology, Elon University, Elon, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Rene Geissler
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Alexa B. R. McIntyre
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Andrew Grimson
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
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20
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Kroupova A, Ivascu A, Reimão-Pinto MM, Ameres SL, Jinek M. Structural basis for acceptor RNA substrate selectivity of the 3' terminal uridylyl transferase Tailor. Nucleic Acids Res 2019; 47:1030-1042. [PMID: 30462292 PMCID: PMC6344859 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gky1164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2018] [Accepted: 11/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-templated 3′-uridylation of RNAs has emerged as an important mechanism for regulating the processing, stability and biological function of eukaryotic transcripts. In Drosophila, oligouridine tailing by the terminal uridylyl transferase (TUTase) Tailor of numerous RNAs induces their degradation by the exonuclease Dis3L2, which serves functional roles in RNA surveillance and mirtron RNA biogenesis. Tailor preferentially uridylates RNAs terminating in guanosine or uridine nucleotides but the structural basis underpinning its RNA substrate selectivity is unknown. Here, we report crystal structures of Tailor bound to a donor substrate analog or mono- and oligouridylated RNA products. These structures reveal specific amino acid residues involved in donor and acceptor substrate recognition, and complementary biochemical assays confirm the critical role of an active site arginine in conferring selectivity toward 3′-guanosine terminated RNAs. Notably, conservation of these active site features suggests that other eukaryotic TUTases, including mammalian TUT4 and TUT7, might exhibit similar, hitherto unknown, substrate selectivity. Together, these studies provide critical insights into the specificity of 3′-uridylation in eukaryotic post-transcriptional gene regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alena Kroupova
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Zurich 8057, Switzerland
| | - Anastasia Ivascu
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Zurich 8057, Switzerland
| | - Madalena M Reimão-Pinto
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology, IMBA, Vienna Biocenter Campus (VBC), Vienna 1030, Austria
| | - Stefan L Ameres
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology, IMBA, Vienna Biocenter Campus (VBC), Vienna 1030, Austria
| | - Martin Jinek
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Zurich 8057, Switzerland
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21
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Buchberger E, Reis M, Lu TH, Posnien N. Cloudy with a Chance of Insights: Context Dependent Gene Regulation and Implications for Evolutionary Studies. Genes (Basel) 2019; 10:E492. [PMID: 31261769 PMCID: PMC6678813 DOI: 10.3390/genes10070492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2019] [Revised: 06/20/2019] [Accepted: 06/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Research in various fields of evolutionary biology has shown that divergence in gene expression is a key driver for phenotypic evolution. An exceptional contribution of cis-regulatory divergence has been found to contribute to morphological diversification. In the light of these findings, the analysis of genome-wide expression data has become one of the central tools to link genotype and phenotype information on a more mechanistic level. However, in many studies, especially if general conclusions are drawn from such data, a key feature of gene regulation is often neglected. With our article, we want to raise awareness that gene regulation and thus gene expression is highly context dependent. Genes show tissue- and stage-specific expression. We argue that the regulatory context must be considered in comparative expression studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Buchberger
- University Göttingen, Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), Dpt. of Developmental Biology, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Micael Reis
- University Göttingen, Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), Dpt. of Developmental Biology, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Ting-Hsuan Lu
- University Göttingen, Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), Dpt. of Developmental Biology, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
- International Max Planck Research School for Genome Science, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Nico Posnien
- University Göttingen, Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), Dpt. of Developmental Biology, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
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22
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Crysnanto D, Obbard DJ. Widespread gene duplication and adaptive evolution in the RNA interference pathways of the Drosophila obscura group. BMC Evol Biol 2019; 19:99. [PMID: 31068148 PMCID: PMC6505081 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-019-1425-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2018] [Accepted: 04/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND RNA interference (RNAi) related pathways provide defense against viruses and transposable elements, and have been implicated in the suppression of meiotic drive elements. Genes in these pathways often exhibit high levels of adaptive substitution, and over longer timescales show gene duplication and loss-most likely as a consequence of their role in mediating conflict with these parasites. This is particularly striking for Argonaute 2 (Ago2), which is ancestrally the key effector of antiviral RNAi in insects, but has repeatedly formed new testis-specific duplicates in the recent history of the obscura species-group of Drosophila. RESULTS Here we take advantage of publicly available genomic and transcriptomic data to identify six further RNAi-pathway genes that have duplicated in this clade of Drosophila, and examine their evolutionary history. As seen for Ago2, we observe high levels of adaptive amino-acid substitution and changes in sex-biased expression in many of the paralogs. However, our phylogenetic analysis suggests that co-duplications of the RNAi machinery were not synchronous, and our expression analysis fails to identify consistent male-specific expression. CONCLUSIONS These results confirm that RNAi genes, including genes of the antiviral and piRNA pathways, have undergone multiple independent duplications and that their history has been particularly labile within the obscura group. However, they also suggest that the selective pressures driving these changes have not been consistent, implying that more than one selective agent may be responsible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danang Crysnanto
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, Charlotte Auerbach Road, Edinburgh, UK
- Animal Genomics, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Darren J. Obbard
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, Charlotte Auerbach Road, Edinburgh, UK
- Centre for Infection, Evolution and Immunity, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
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23
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Kang W, Eldfjell Y, Fromm B, Estivill X, Biryukova I, Friedländer MR. miRTrace reveals the organismal origins of microRNA sequencing data. Genome Biol 2018; 19:213. [PMID: 30514392 PMCID: PMC6280396 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-018-1588-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2018] [Accepted: 11/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
We present here miRTrace, the first algorithm to trace microRNA sequencing data back to their taxonomic origins. This is a challenge with profound implications for forensics, parasitology, food control, and research settings where cross-contamination can compromise results. miRTrace accurately (> 99%) assigns real and simulated data to 14 important animal and plant groups, sensitively detects parasitic infection in mammals, and discovers the primate origin of single cells. Applying our algorithm to over 700 public datasets, we find evidence that over 7% are cross-contaminated and present a novel solution to clean these computationally, even after sequencing has occurred. miRTrace is freely available at https://github.com/friedlanderlab/mirtrace .
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjing Kang
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Yrin Eldfjell
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Bastian Fromm
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Xavier Estivill
- Genetics and Genomics Department, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
| | - Inna Biryukova
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Marc R Friedländer
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.
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24
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Penso-Dolfin L, Moxon S, Haerty W, Di Palma F. The evolutionary dynamics of microRNAs in domestic mammals. Sci Rep 2018; 8:17050. [PMID: 30451897 PMCID: PMC6242877 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-34243-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2018] [Accepted: 10/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
MiRNAs are crucial regulators of gene expression found across both the plant and animal kingdoms. While the number of annotated miRNAs deposited in miRBase has greatly increased in recent years, few studies provided comparative analyses across sets of related species, or investigated the role of miRNAs in the evolution of gene regulation. We generated small RNA libraries across 5 mammalian species (cow, dog, horse, pig and rabbit) from 4 different tissues (brain, heart, kidney and testis). We identified 1676 miRBase and 413 novel miRNAs by manually curating the set of computational predictions obtained from miRCat and miRDeep2. Our dataset spanning five species has enabled us to investigate the molecular mechanisms and selective pressures driving the evolution of miRNAs in mammals. We highlight the important contributions of intronic sequences (366 orthogroups), duplication events (135 orthogroups) and repetitive elements (37 orthogroups) in the emergence of new miRNA loci. We use this framework to estimate the patterns of gains and losses across the phylogeny, and observe high levels of miRNA turnover. Additionally, the identification of lineage-specific losses enables the characterisation of the selective constraints acting on the associated target sites. Compared to the miRBase subset, novel miRNAs tend to be more tissue specific. 20 percent of novel orthogroups are restricted to the brain, and their target repertoires appear to be enriched for neuron activity and differentiation processes. These findings may reflect an important role for young miRNAs in the evolution of brain expression plasticity. Many seed sequences appear to be specific to either the cow or the dog. Analyses on the associated targets highlight the presence of several genes under artificial positive selection, suggesting an involvement of these miRNAs in the domestication process. Altogether, we provide an overview on the evolutionary mechanisms responsible for miRNA turnover in 5 domestic species, and their possible contribution to the evolution of gene regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Penso-Dolfin
- Earlham Institute, Norwich Research Park, Colney Lane, Norwich, NR47UZ, United Kingdom.
| | - Simon Moxon
- University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR47TJ, United Kingdom
| | - Wilfried Haerty
- Earlham Institute, Norwich Research Park, Colney Lane, Norwich, NR47UZ, United Kingdom
| | - Federica Di Palma
- Earlham Institute, Norwich Research Park, Colney Lane, Norwich, NR47UZ, United Kingdom.
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25
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Mohorianu I, Fowler EK, Dalmay T, Chapman T. Control of seminal fluid protein expression via regulatory hubs in Drosophila melanogaster. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 285:20181681. [PMID: 30257913 PMCID: PMC6170815 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2018.1681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2018] [Accepted: 09/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Highly precise, yet flexible and responsive coordination of expression across groups of genes underpins the integrity of many vital functions. However, our understanding of gene regulatory networks (GRNs) is often hampered by the lack of experimentally tractable systems, by significant computational challenges derived from the large number of genes involved or from difficulties in the accurate identification and characterization of gene interactions. Here we used a tractable experimental system in which to study GRNs: the genes encoding the seminal fluid proteins that are transferred along with sperm (the 'transferome') in Drosophila melanogaster fruit flies. The products of transferome genes are core determinants of reproductive success and, to date, only transcription factors have been implicated in the modulation of their expression. Hence, as yet, we know nothing about the post-transcriptional mechanisms underlying the tight, responsive and precise regulation of this important gene set. We investigated this omission in the current study. We first used bioinformatics to identify potential regulatory motifs that linked the transferome genes in a putative interaction network. This predicted the presence of putative microRNA (miRNA) 'hubs'. We then tested this prediction, that post-transcriptional regulation is important for the control of transferome genes, by knocking down miRNA expression in adult males. This abolished the ability of males to respond adaptively to the threat of sexual competition, indicating a regulatory role for miRNAs in the regulation of transferome function. Further bioinformatics analysis then identified candidate miRNAs as putative regulatory hubs and evidence for variation in the strength of miRNA regulation across the transferome gene set. The results revealed regulatory mechanisms that can underpin robust, precise and flexible regulation of multiple fitness-related genes. They also help to explain how males can adaptively modulate ejaculate composition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina Mohorianu
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK
- School of Computing Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Emily K Fowler
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Tamas Dalmay
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Tracey Chapman
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK
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26
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Lu GA, Zhao Y, Liufu Z, Wu CI. On the possibility of death of new genes - evidence from the deletion of de novo microRNAs. BMC Genomics 2018; 19:388. [PMID: 29792159 PMCID: PMC5966946 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-018-4755-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2017] [Accepted: 05/02/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Background New genes are constantly formed, sometimes from non-genic sequences, creating what is referred to as de novo genes. Since the total number of genes remains relatively steady, gene deaths likely balance out new births. In metazoan genomes, microRNAs (miRs) genes, small and non-coding, account for the bulk of functional de novo genes and are particularly suited to the investigation of gene death. Results In this study, we discover a Drosophila-specific de novo miRNA (mir-977) that may be facing impending death. Strikingly, after this testis-specific gene is deleted from D. melanogaster, most components of male fitness increase, rather than decrease as had been expected. These components include male viability, fertility and males’ ability to repress female re-mating. Given that mir-977 has a negative fitness effect in D. melanogaster, this de novo gene with an adaptive history for over 60 Myrs may be facing elimination. In some other species where mir-977 is not found, gene death may have already happened. Conclusion The surprising result suggests that de novo genes, constantly rising and falling during evolution, may often be transiently adaptive and then purged from the genome. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12864-018-4755-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guang-An Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, Guangdong, China
| | - Yixin Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhongqi Liufu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, Guangdong, China
| | - Chung-I Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, Guangdong, China. .,Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, 60637, USA.
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27
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Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are ∼22 nt RNAs that direct posttranscriptional repression of mRNA targets in diverse eukaryotic lineages. In humans and other mammals, these small RNAs help sculpt the expression of most mRNAs. This article reviews advances in our understanding of the defining features of metazoan miRNAs and their biogenesis, genomics, and evolution. It then reviews how metazoan miRNAs are regulated, how they recognize and cause repression of their targets, and the biological functions of this repression, with a compilation of knockout phenotypes that shows that important biological functions have been identified for most of the broadly conserved miRNAs of mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- David P Bartel
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
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28
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Wiegmann BM, Richards S. Genomes of Diptera. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2018; 25:116-124. [PMID: 29602357 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2018.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2018] [Accepted: 01/23/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Diptera (true flies) are among the most diverse holometabolan insect orders and were the first eukaryotic order to have a representative genome fully sequenced. 110 fly species have publically available genome assemblies and many hundreds of population-level genomes have been generated in the model organisms Drosophila melanogaster and the malaria mosquito Anopheles gambiae. Comparative genomics carried out in a phylogenetic context is illuminating many aspects of fly biology, providing unprecedented insight into variability in genome structure, gene content, genetic mechanisms, and rates and patterns of evolution in genes, populations, and species. Despite the rich availability of genomic resources in flies, there remain many fly lineages to which new genome sequencing efforts should be directed. Such efforts would be most valuable in fly families or clades that exhibit multiple origins of key fly behaviors such as blood feeding, phytophagy, parasitism, pollination, and mycophagy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian M Wiegmann
- Department of Entomology & Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, United States.
| | - Stephen Richards
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77006, United States
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