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He Q, Chen S, Hou T, Chen J. Juvenile hormone-induced microRNA miR-iab-8 regulates lipid homeostasis and metamorphosis in Drosophila melanogaster. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024. [PMID: 39005109 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
Metamorphosis plays an important role in the evolutionary success of insects. Accumulating evidence indicated that microRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in the regulation of processes associated with insect metamorphosis. However, the miRNAs coordinated with juvenile hormone (JH)-regulated metamorphosis remain poorly reported. In the present study, using high-throughput miRNA sequencing combined with Drosophila genetic approaches, we demonstrated that miR-iab-8, which primarily targets homeotic genes to modulate haltere-wing transformation and sterility was up-regulated by JH and involved in JH-mediated metamorphosis. Overexpression of miR-iab-8 in the fat body resulted in delayed development and failure of larval-pupal transition. Furthermore, metabolomic analysis results revealed that overexpression of miR-iab-8 caused severe energy metabolism defects especially the lipid metabolism, resulting in significantly reduced triacylglycerol (TG) content and glycerophospholipids but enhanced accumulation of phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE). In line with this, Nile red staining demonstrated that during the third larval development, the TG content in the miR-iab-8 overexpression larvae was continuously decreased, which is opposite to the control. Additionally, the transcription levels of genes committed to TG synthesis and breakdown were found to be significantly increased and the expression of genes responsible for glycerophospholipids metabolism were also altered. Overall, we proposed that JH induced miR-iab-8 expression to perturb the lipid metabolism homeostasis especially the TG storage in the fat body, which in turn affected larval growth and metamorphosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianyu He
- College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, China
| | - Shanshan Chen
- College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, China
| | - Tianlan Hou
- College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, China
| | - Jinxia Chen
- College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, China
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Gao X, Zang H, Liu X, Guo S, Ye D, Liu Z, Jing X, Niu Q, Wu Y, Lü Y, Chen D, Guo R. Unraveling the modulatory manner and function of circRNAs in the Asian honey bee larval guts. Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 12:1391717. [PMID: 39045457 PMCID: PMC11263028 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2024.1391717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a class of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) that can participate in biological processes such as gene expression, growth, and development. However, little has been explored about the function of circRNAs in the development of Apis cerana larval guts. By using our previously gained deep sequencing data from the guts of A. cerana worker larvae at 4-, 5-, and 6-day-old (Ac4, Ac5, and Ac6 groups), the expression pattern and regulatory role of circular RNAs (circRNAs) during the development process was comprehensively investigated, with a focus on differentially expressed circRNAs (DEcircRNAs) relevant to immunity pathways and developmental signaling pathways, followed by validation of the binding relationships among a key competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) axis. Here, 224 (158) DEcircRNAs were detected in the Ac4 vs. Ac5 (Ac5 vs. Ac6) comparison group. It's suggested that 172 (123) parental genes of DEcircRNAs were involved in 26 (20) GO terms such as developmental process and metabolic process and 138 (136) KEGG pathways like Hippo and Wnt signaling pathways. Additionally, ceRNA network analysis indicated that 21 (11) DEcircRNAs could target seven (three) DEmiRNAs, further targeting 324 (198) DEmRNAs. These DEmRNAs can be annotated to 33 (26) GO terms and 168 (200) KEGG pathways, including 12 (16) cellular and humoral immune pathways (endocytosis, lysosome, Jak-STAT, etc.) and 10 (nine) developmental signaling pathways (Hippo, mTOR, Hedgehog, etc.). Interestingly, DEcircRNAs in these two comparison groups could target the same ace-miR-6001-y, forming complex sub-networks. The results of PCR and Sanger sequencing confirmed the back-splicing sites within four randomly selected DEcircRNAs. RT-qPCR detection of these four DEcircRNAs verified the reliability of the used transcriptome data. The results of dual-luciferase reporter assay verified the binding relationships between novel_circ_001627 and ace-miR-6001-y and between ace-miR-6001-y and apterous-like. Our data demonstrated that DEcircRNAs were likely to modulate the developmental process of the A. cerana worker larval guts via regulation of parental gene transcription and ceRNA network, and novel_circ_001627/ace-miR-6001-y/apterous-like was a potential regulatory axis in the larval gut development. Findings from this work offer a basis and a candidate ceRNA axis for illustrating the circRNA-modulated mechanisms underlying the A. cerana larval guts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuze Gao
- College of Bee Science and Biomedicine, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - He Zang
- College of Bee Science and Biomedicine, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- National and Local United Engineering Laboratory of Natural Biotoxin, Fuzhou, China
- Apitherapy Research Institute of Fujian Province, Fuzhou, China
| | - Xiaoyu Liu
- College of Bee Science and Biomedicine, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Sijia Guo
- College of Bee Science and Biomedicine, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Daoyou Ye
- College of Bee Science and Biomedicine, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Zhitan Liu
- College of Bee Science and Biomedicine, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Xin Jing
- College of Bee Science and Biomedicine, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Qingsheng Niu
- Apiculture Science Institute of Jilin Province, Jilin, China
| | - Ying Wu
- Apiculture Science Institute of Jilin Province, Jilin, China
| | - Yang Lü
- Mudanjiang Branch of Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Mudanjiang, China
| | - Dafu Chen
- College of Bee Science and Biomedicine, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- National and Local United Engineering Laboratory of Natural Biotoxin, Fuzhou, China
- Apitherapy Research Institute of Fujian Province, Fuzhou, China
| | - Rui Guo
- College of Bee Science and Biomedicine, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- National and Local United Engineering Laboratory of Natural Biotoxin, Fuzhou, China
- Apitherapy Research Institute of Fujian Province, Fuzhou, China
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3
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He J, Kang L. Regulation of insect behavior by non-coding RNAs. SCIENCE CHINA. LIFE SCIENCES 2024; 67:1106-1118. [PMID: 38443665 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-023-2482-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
The adaptation of insects to environments relies on a sophisticated set of behaviors controlled by molecular and physiological processes. Over the past several decades, accumulating studies have unveiled the roles of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) in regulating insect behaviors. ncRNAs assume particularly pivotal roles in the behavioral plasticity of insects by rapidly responding to environmental stimuli. ncRNAs also contribute to the maintenance of homeostasis of insects by fine-tuning the expression of target genes. However, a comprehensive review of ncRNAs' roles in regulating insect behaviors has yet to be conducted. Here, we present the recent progress in our understanding of how ncRNAs regulate various insect behaviors, including flight and movement, social behavior, reproduction, learning and memory, and feeding. We refine the intricate mechanisms by which ncRNAs modulate the function of neural, motor, reproductive, and other physiological systems, as well as gene expression in insects like fruit flies, social insects, locusts, and mosquitos. Furthermore, we discuss potential avenues for future studies in ncRNA-mediated insect behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing He
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Le Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
- Beijing Institutes of Life Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
- College of Life Science, Hebei University, Baoding, 071002, China.
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Huang Y, Wang T, Jiang C, Li S, Zhou H, Li R. Relish-facilitated lncRNA-CR11538 suppresses Drosophila Imd immune response and maintains immune homeostasis via decoying Relish away from antimicrobial peptide promoters. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2024; 151:105098. [PMID: 37956726 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2023.105098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Innate immunity plays a crucial role in host defense against pathogen invasion and its strength and duration requires precise control. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have become important regulators of innate immunity, yet their roles in Drosophila immune responses remain largely unknown. In this study, we identified that the overexpression of lncRNA-CR11538 inhibits the expression of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) Dpt and AttA in Drosophila upon Escherichia coli (E. coli) infection, and influences the survival rate of flies after E. cloacae infection. Mechanically, lncRNA-CR11538 decoys Relish away from AMPs promoter region. We further revealed that Relish can promote the transcription of lncRNA-CR11538. After analyzing the dynamic expression profile of lncRNA-CR11538 during Imd immune response, we put forward a hypothesis that in the late stage of Imd immune response, lncRNA-CR11538 can be activated by Relish and further decoy Relish away from the AMPs promoter to suppress excessive immune signal and maintain immune homeostasis. This mechanism we proposed provides insights into the complex regulatory networks controlling immune responses in Drosophila and suggests potential targets for therapeutic intervention in diseases involving dysregulated immune responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Huang
- Laboratory for Comparative Genomics and Bioinformatics & Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210046, PR China
| | - Tan Wang
- Laboratory for Comparative Genomics and Bioinformatics & Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210046, PR China
| | - Chun Jiang
- Laboratory for Comparative Genomics and Bioinformatics & Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210046, PR China; Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine, 210002, Nanjing, Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Shengjie Li
- Laboratory for Comparative Genomics and Bioinformatics & Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210046, PR China
| | - Hongjian Zhou
- Laboratory for Comparative Genomics and Bioinformatics & Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210046, PR China; Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine, 210002, Nanjing, Jiangsu, PR China.
| | - Ruimin Li
- College of Biology and Food Engineering, Anyang Institute of Technology, Anyang, 455000, PR China.
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5
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Fan X, Gao X, Zang H, Guo S, Jing X, Zhang Y, Liu X, Zou P, Chen M, Huang Z, Chen D, Guo R. Diverse Regulatory Manners and Potential Roles of lncRNAs in the Developmental Process of Asian Honey Bee ( Apis cerana) Larval Guts. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:15399. [PMID: 37895079 PMCID: PMC10607868 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242015399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 10/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are crucial modulators in a variety of biological processes, such as gene expression, development, and immune defense. However, little is known about the function of lncRNAs in the development of Asian honey bee (Apis cerana) larval guts. Here, on the basis of our previously obtained deep-sequencing data from the 4-, 5-, and 6-day-old larval guts of A. cerana workers (Ac4, Ac5, and Ac6 groups), an in-depth transcriptome-wide investigation was conducted to decipher the expression pattern, regulatory manners, and potential roles of lncRNAs during the developmental process of A. cerana worker larval guts, followed by the verification of the relative expression of differentially expressed lncRNAs (DElncRNAs) and the targeting relationships within a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) axis. In the Ac4 vs. Ac5 and Ac5 vs. Ac6 comparison groups, 527 and 498 DElncRNAs were identified, respectively, which is suggestive of the dynamic expression of lncRNAs during the developmental process of larval guts. A cis-acting analysis showed that 330 and 393 neighboring genes of the aforementioned DElncRNAs were respectively involved in 29 and 32 functional terms, such as cellular processes and metabolic processes; these neighboring genes were also respectively engaged in 246 and 246 pathways such as the Hedgehog signaling pathway and the Wnt signaling pathway. Additionally, it was found that 79 and 76 DElncRNAs as potential antisense lncRNAs may, respectively, interact with 72 and 60 sense-strand mRNAs. An investigation of competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) networks suggested that 75 (155) DElncRNAs in the Ac4 vs. Ac5 (Ac5 vs. Ac6) comparison group could target 7 (5) DEmiRNAs and further bind to 334 (248) DEmRNAs, which can be annotated to 33 (29) functional terms and 186 (210) pathways, including 12 (16) cellular- and humoral-immune pathways (lysosome pathway, necroptosis, MAPK signaling pathway, etc.) and 11 (10) development-associated signaling pathways (Wnt, Hippo, AMPK, etc.). The RT-qPCR detection of five randomly selected DElncRNAs confirmed the reliability of the used sequencing data. Moreover, the results of a dual-luciferase reporter assay were indicative of the binding relationship between MSTRG.11294.1 and miR-6001-y and between miR-6001-y and ncbi_107992440. These results demonstrate that DElncRNAs are likely to modulate the developmental process of larval guts via the regulation of the source genes' transcription, interaction with mRNAs, and ceRNA networks. Our findings not only yield new insights into the developmental mechanism underlying A. cerana larval guts, but also provide a candidate ceRNA axis for further functional dissection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxue Fan
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (X.F.); (X.G.); (H.Z.); (S.G.); (X.J.); (Y.Z.); (X.L.); (P.Z.); (M.C.); (Z.H.); (D.C.)
| | - Xuze Gao
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (X.F.); (X.G.); (H.Z.); (S.G.); (X.J.); (Y.Z.); (X.L.); (P.Z.); (M.C.); (Z.H.); (D.C.)
| | - He Zang
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (X.F.); (X.G.); (H.Z.); (S.G.); (X.J.); (Y.Z.); (X.L.); (P.Z.); (M.C.); (Z.H.); (D.C.)
| | - Sijia Guo
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (X.F.); (X.G.); (H.Z.); (S.G.); (X.J.); (Y.Z.); (X.L.); (P.Z.); (M.C.); (Z.H.); (D.C.)
| | - Xin Jing
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (X.F.); (X.G.); (H.Z.); (S.G.); (X.J.); (Y.Z.); (X.L.); (P.Z.); (M.C.); (Z.H.); (D.C.)
| | - Yiqiong Zhang
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (X.F.); (X.G.); (H.Z.); (S.G.); (X.J.); (Y.Z.); (X.L.); (P.Z.); (M.C.); (Z.H.); (D.C.)
| | - Xiaoyu Liu
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (X.F.); (X.G.); (H.Z.); (S.G.); (X.J.); (Y.Z.); (X.L.); (P.Z.); (M.C.); (Z.H.); (D.C.)
| | - Peiyuan Zou
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (X.F.); (X.G.); (H.Z.); (S.G.); (X.J.); (Y.Z.); (X.L.); (P.Z.); (M.C.); (Z.H.); (D.C.)
| | - Mengjun Chen
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (X.F.); (X.G.); (H.Z.); (S.G.); (X.J.); (Y.Z.); (X.L.); (P.Z.); (M.C.); (Z.H.); (D.C.)
| | - Zhijian Huang
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (X.F.); (X.G.); (H.Z.); (S.G.); (X.J.); (Y.Z.); (X.L.); (P.Z.); (M.C.); (Z.H.); (D.C.)
| | - Dafu Chen
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (X.F.); (X.G.); (H.Z.); (S.G.); (X.J.); (Y.Z.); (X.L.); (P.Z.); (M.C.); (Z.H.); (D.C.)
- Apitherapy Research Institute of Fujian Province, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Rui Guo
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (X.F.); (X.G.); (H.Z.); (S.G.); (X.J.); (Y.Z.); (X.L.); (P.Z.); (M.C.); (Z.H.); (D.C.)
- Apitherapy Research Institute of Fujian Province, Fuzhou 350002, China
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Cridland JM, Contino CE, Begun DJ. Selection and geography shape male reproductive tract transcriptomes in Drosophila melanogaster. Genetics 2023; 224:iyad034. [PMID: 36869688 PMCID: PMC10474930 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyad034] [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: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Transcriptome analysis of several animal clades suggests that male reproductive tract gene expression evolves quickly. However, the factors influencing the abundance and distribution of within-species variation, the ultimate source of interspecific divergence, are poorly known. Drosophila melanogaster, an ancestrally African species that has recently spread throughout the world and colonized the Americas in the last roughly 100 years, exhibits phenotypic and genetic latitudinal clines on multiple continents, consistent with a role for spatially varying selection in shaping its biology. Nevertheless, geographic expression variation in the Americas is poorly described, as is its relationship to African expression variation. Here, we investigate these issues through the analysis of two male reproductive tissue transcriptomes [testis and accessory gland (AG)] in samples from Maine (USA), Panama, and Zambia. We find dramatic differences between these tissues in differential expression between Maine and Panama, with the accessory glands exhibiting abundant expression differentiation and the testis exhibiting very little. Latitudinal expression differentiation appears to be influenced by the selection of Panama expression phenotypes. While the testis shows little latitudinal expression differentiation, it exhibits much greater differentiation than the accessory gland in Zambia vs American population comparisons. Expression differentiation for both tissues is non-randomly distributed across the genome on a chromosome arm scale. Interspecific expression divergence between D. melanogaster and D. simulans is discordant with rates of differentiation between D. melanogaster populations. Strongly heterogeneous expression differentiation across tissues and timescales suggests a complex evolutionary process involving major temporal changes in the way selection influences expression evolution in these organs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie M Cridland
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Colin E Contino
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - David J Begun
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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Hajirnis N, Pandey S, Mishra RK. CRISPR/Cas9 and FLP-FRT mediated regulatory dissection of the BX-C of Drosophila melanogaster. CHROMOSOME RESEARCH : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL ON THE MOLECULAR, SUPRAMOLECULAR AND EVOLUTIONARY ASPECTS OF CHROMOSOME BIOLOGY 2023; 31:7. [PMID: 36719476 DOI: 10.1007/s10577-023-09716-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
The homeotic genes or Hox define the anterior-posterior (AP) body axis formation in bilaterians and are often present on the chromosome in an order collinear to their function across the AP axis. However, there are many cases wherein the Hox are not collinear, but their expression pattern is conserved across the AP axis. The expression pattern of Hox is attributed to the cis-regulatory modules (CRMs) consisting of enhancers, initiators, or repressor elements that regulate the genes in a segment-specific manner. In the Drosophila melanogaster Hox complex, the bithorax complex (BX-C) and even the CRMs are organized in an order that is collinear to their function in the thoracic and abdominal segments. In the present study, the regulatorily inert regions were targeted using CRISPR/Cas9 to generate a series of transgenic lines with the insertion of FRT sequences. These FRT lines are repurposed to shuffle the CRMs associated with Abd-B to generate modular deletion, duplication, or inversion of multiple CRMs. The rearrangements yielded entirely novel phenotypes in the fly suggesting the requirement of such complex manipulations to address the significance of higher order arrangement of the CRMs. The functional map and the transgenic flies generated in this study are important resources to decipher the collective ability of multiple regulatory elements in the eukaryotic genome to function as complex modules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikhil Hajirnis
- CSIR - Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, India.,Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland, Baltimore, USA
| | | | - Rakesh K Mishra
- CSIR - Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, India. .,AcSIR - Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Ghaziabad, India. .,Tata Institute for Genetics and Society (TIGS), Bangalore, India.
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8
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Recent Advances and Future Potential of Long Non-Coding RNAs in Insects. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24032605. [PMID: 36768922 PMCID: PMC9917219 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Revised: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the last decade, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have witnessed a steep rise in interest amongst the scientific community. Because of their functional significance in several biological processes, i.e., alternative splicing, epigenetics, cell cycle, dosage compensation, and gene expression regulation, lncRNAs have transformed our understanding of RNA's regulatory potential. However, most knowledge concerning lncRNAs comes from mammals, and our understanding of the potential role of lncRNAs amongst insects remains unclear. Technological advances such as RNA-seq have enabled entomologists to profile several hundred lncRNAs in insect species, although few are functionally studied. This article will review experimentally validated lncRNAs from different insects and the lncRNAs identified via bioinformatic tools. Lastly, we will discuss the existing research challenges and the future of lncRNAs in insects.
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9
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Liu W, An S, Cheng P, Zhang K, Gong M, Zhang Z, Zhang R. Whole-transcriptome profiling across different developmental stages of Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) provides insights into chitin-related non-coding RNA and competing endogenous RNA networks. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:33. [PMID: 36703236 PMCID: PMC9878986 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05648-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, is one of the most invasive species and a vector of numerous arboviruses. The deleterious effects of long-term and inappropriate use of chemical pesticides have stimulated the exploration of new, environmentally friendly control strategies. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) have been proven to participate in almost all biological processes of insects. METHODS In this study, circular RNAs (circRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) covering five developmental stages [egg, early larvae, late larvae, pupae, adult (female and male)] of A. albopictus were obtained using whole-transcriptome sequencing technology. Combined with long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) from previous research, circRNA/lncRNA‒miRNA‒mitochondrial RNA (mRNA) networks were constructed. RESULTS A total of 1434 circRNAs and 208 miRNAs were identified. More differentially expressed circRNAs (DE circRNAs) and miRNAs (DE miRNAs) were found in the egg versus early larvae comparison group. Functional enrichment analysis demonstrated that most of the circRNA/lncRNA‒miRNA‒mRNA networks were involved in chitin metabolism. Hub genes of each circRNA/lncRNA‒miRNA‒mRNA network were screened out, which can be used as novel targets to disturb the molting process of A. albopictus. CONCLUSIONS Regulatory relationships obtained from competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) networks provide more information to manipulate the metamorphosis process and are helpful for developing effective and sustainable methods to control mosquitoes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjuan Liu
- grid.410587.fSchool of Clinical and Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong First Medical University (Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences), Jinan, 250117 China
| | - Sha An
- grid.410587.fSchool of Clinical and Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong First Medical University (Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences), Jinan, 250117 China
| | - Peng Cheng
- grid.410638.80000 0000 8910 6733Shandong Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Shandong First Medical University (Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences), Jining, 272033 China
| | - Kexin Zhang
- grid.410587.fSchool of Clinical and Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong First Medical University (Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences), Jinan, 250117 China
| | - Maoqing Gong
- grid.410638.80000 0000 8910 6733Shandong Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Shandong First Medical University (Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences), Jining, 272033 China
| | - Zhong Zhang
- grid.410587.fSchool of Clinical and Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong First Medical University (Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences), Jinan, 250117 China ,grid.410587.fSchool of Laboratory Animal (Shandong Laboratory Animal Center), Shandong First Medical University (Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences), Jinan, 250117 China
| | - Ruiling Zhang
- grid.410587.fSchool of Clinical and Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong First Medical University (Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences), Jinan, 250117 China ,grid.410587.fSchool of Laboratory Animal (Shandong Laboratory Animal Center), Shandong First Medical University (Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences), Jinan, 250117 China
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10
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Noncoding RNA Regulation of Hormonal and Metabolic Systems in the Fruit Fly Drosophila. Metabolites 2023; 13:metabo13020152. [PMID: 36837772 PMCID: PMC9967906 DOI: 10.3390/metabo13020152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The importance of RNAs is commonly recognised thanks to protein-coding RNAs, whereas non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) were conventionally regarded as 'junk'. In the last decade, ncRNAs' significance and roles are becoming noticeable in various biological activities, including those in hormonal and metabolic regulation. Among the ncRNAs: microRNA (miRNA) is a small RNA transcript with ~20 nucleotides in length; long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) is an RNA transcript with >200 nucleotides; and circular RNA (circRNA) is derived from back-splicing of pre-mRNA. These ncRNAs can regulate gene expression levels at epigenetic, transcriptional, and post-transcriptional levels through various mechanisms in insects. A better understanding of these crucial regulators is essential to both basic and applied entomology. In this review, we intend to summarise and discuss the current understanding and knowledge of miRNA, lncRNA, and circRNA in the best-studied insect model, the fruit fly Drosophila.
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MacPherson RA, Shankar V, Sunkara LT, Hannah RC, Campbell MR, Anholt RRH, Mackay TFC. Pleiotropic fitness effects of the lncRNA Uhg4 in Drosophila melanogaster. BMC Genomics 2022; 23:781. [PMID: 36451091 PMCID: PMC9710044 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-022-08972-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a diverse class of RNAs that are critical for gene regulation, DNA repair, and splicing, and have been implicated in development, stress response, and cancer. However, the functions of many lncRNAs remain unknown. In Drosophila melanogaster, U snoRNA host gene 4 (Uhg4) encodes an antisense long noncoding RNA that is host to seven small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs). Uhg4 is expressed ubiquitously during development and in all adult tissues, with maximal expression in ovaries; however, it has no annotated function(s). RESULTS We used CRISPR-Cas9 germline gene editing to generate multiple deletions spanning the promoter region and first exon of Uhg4. Females showed arrested egg development and both males and females were sterile. In addition, Uhg4 deletion mutants showed delayed development and decreased viability, and changes in sleep and responses to stress. Whole-genome RNA sequencing of Uhg4 deletion flies and their controls identified co-regulated genes and genetic interaction networks associated with Uhg4. Gene ontology analyses highlighted a broad spectrum of biological processes, including regulation of transcription and translation, morphogenesis, and stress response. CONCLUSION Uhg4 is a lncRNA essential for reproduction with pleiotropic effects on multiple fitness traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca A MacPherson
- Center for Human Genetics and Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, 114 Gregor Mendel Circle, Greenwood, SC, 29646, USA
| | - Vijay Shankar
- Center for Human Genetics and Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, 114 Gregor Mendel Circle, Greenwood, SC, 29646, USA
| | - Lakshmi T Sunkara
- Present adress: Clemson Veterinary Diagnostic Center, Livestock Poultry Health, Clemson University, 500 Clemson Road, Columbia, SC, 29229, USA
| | - Rachel C Hannah
- Center for Human Genetics and Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, 114 Gregor Mendel Circle, Greenwood, SC, 29646, USA
| | - Marion R Campbell
- Center for Human Genetics and Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, 114 Gregor Mendel Circle, Greenwood, SC, 29646, USA
| | - Robert R H Anholt
- Center for Human Genetics and Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, 114 Gregor Mendel Circle, Greenwood, SC, 29646, USA.
| | - Trudy F C Mackay
- Center for Human Genetics and Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, 114 Gregor Mendel Circle, Greenwood, SC, 29646, USA.
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Zafar J, Huang J, Xu X, Jin F. Analysis of Long Non-Coding RNA-Mediated Regulatory Networks of Plutella xylostella in Response to Metarhizium anisopliae Infection. INSECTS 2022; 13:916. [PMID: 36292864 PMCID: PMC9604237 DOI: 10.3390/insects13100916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) represent a diverse class of RNAs that are structurally similar to messenger RNAs (mRNAs) but do not encode proteins. Growing evidence suggests that in response to biotic and abiotic stresses, the lncRNAs play crucial regulatory roles in plants and animals. However, the potential role of lncRNAs during fungal infection has yet to be characterized in Plutella xylostella, a devastating pest of cruciferous crops. In the current study, we performed a strand-specific RNA sequencing of Metarhizium anisopliae-infected (Px36hT, Px72hT) and uninfected (Px36hCK, Px72hCK) P. xylostella fat body tissues. Comprehensive bioinformatic analysis revealed a total of 5665 and 4941 lncRNAs at 36 and 72-h post-infection (hpi), including 563 (Px36hT), 532 (Px72hT) known and 5102 (Px36hT), 4409 (Px72hT) novel lncRNA transcripts. These lncRNAs shared structural similarities with their counterparts in other species, including shorter exon and intron length, fewer exon numbers, and a lower expression profile than mRNAs. LncRNAs regulate the expression of neighboring protein-coding genes by acting in a cis and trans manner. Functional annotation and pathway analysis of cis-acting lncRNAs revealed their role in several immune-related genes, including Toll, serpin, transferrin, βGRP etc. Furthermore, we identified multiple lncRNAs acting as microRNA (miRNA) precursors. These miRNAs can potentially regulate the expression of mRNAs involved in immunity and development, suggesting a crucial lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA complex. Our findings will provide a genetic resource for future functional studies of lncRNAs involved in P. xylostella immune responses to M. anisopliae infection and shed light on understanding insect host-pathogen interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Xiaoxia Xu
- Correspondence: (X.X.); (F.J.); Tel.: +86-135-6047-8369 (F.J.)
| | - Fengliang Jin
- Correspondence: (X.X.); (F.J.); Tel.: +86-135-6047-8369 (F.J.)
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13
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Zhou H, Wu S, Liu L, Li R, Jin P, Li S. Drosophila Relish Activating lncRNA-CR33942 Transcription Facilitates Antimicrobial Peptide Expression in Imd Innate Immune Response. Front Immunol 2022; 13:905899. [PMID: 35720331 PMCID: PMC9201911 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.905899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are an emerging class of regulators that play crucial roles in regulating the strength and duration of innate immunity. However, little is known about the regulation of Drosophila innate immunity-related lncRNAs. In this study, we first revealed that overexpression of lncRNA-CR33942 could strengthen the expression of the Imd pathway antimicrobial peptide (AMP) genes Diptericin (Dpt) and Attacin-A (AttA) after infection, and vice versa. Secondly, RNA-seq analysis of lncRNA-CR33942-overexpressing flies post Gram-negative bacteria infection confirmed that lncRNA-CR33942 positively regulated the Drosophila immune deficiency (Imd) pathway. Mechanistically, we found that lncRNA-CR33942 interacts and enhances the binding of NF-κB transcription factor Relish to Dpt and AttA promoters, thereby facilitating Dpt and AttA expression. Relish could also directly promote lncRNA-CR33942 transcription by binding to its promoter. Finally, rescue experiments and dynamic expression profiling post-infection demonstrated the vital role of the Relish/lncRNA-CR33942/AMP regulatory axis in enhancing Imd pathway and maintaining immune homeostasis. Our study elucidates novel mechanistic insights into the role of lncRNA-CR33942 in activating Drosophila Imd pathway and the complex regulatory interaction during the innate immune response of animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongjian Zhou
- Laboratory for Comparative Genomics and Bioinformatics & Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - Shanshan Wu
- Laboratory for Comparative Genomics and Bioinformatics & Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - Li Liu
- Laboratory for Comparative Genomics and Bioinformatics & Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - Ruimin Li
- College of Biology and Food Engineering, Anyang Institute of Technology, Anyang, China
| | - Ping Jin
- Laboratory for Comparative Genomics and Bioinformatics & Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China,*Correspondence: Ping Jin, ; Shengjie Li,
| | - Shengjie Li
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Construction Laboratory of Special Biomass Byproduct Resource Utilization, School of Food Science, Nanjing Xiaozhuang University, Nanjing, China,*Correspondence: Ping Jin, ; Shengjie Li,
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14
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Chen J, Huang Y, Qi G. LncRNA-IRAR-mediated regulation of insulin receptor transcripts in Drosophila melanogaster during nutritional stress. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 31:261-272. [PMID: 34923706 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Revised: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The insulin signalling pathway plays a crucial role in regulating the metabolism of sugars, fats and proteins in cells, thereby affecting the growth, metabolism, reproduction and ageing of organisms. However, little is known about the functions of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the regulation of insulin receptors under stress conditions in insects. In this study, we showed that insulin receptor-associated lncRNA (IRAR) regulates insulin receptor transcripts in response to nutritional stress in Drosophila melanogaster. Genome editing by CRISPR-Cas9 showed reduced sensitivity of IRAR mutants to environmental nutritional changes. In contrast, the sensitivity of mutants overexpressing tubulin-gal4 > IRAR increased under low nutrition. The pupation and eclosion timings in IRAR mutants were significantly delayed with an increase in insulin concentration compared with that in the w1118 group. In addition, the expression pattern of IRAR was almost consistent with that of the four transcripts of the insulin receptor from the embryonic period to the adult period. RNA immunoprecipitation assay showed the direct regulation of insulin receptor transcripts by IRAR to the through FOXO binding under nutritional stress. To our knowledge, this is the first study that describes a model of lncRNA-mediated development regulation through insulin receptor transcripts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of High Technology for Plant Protection, Plant Protection Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yuantai Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Guojun Qi
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of High Technology for Plant Protection, Plant Protection Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
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15
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Zhou H, Li S, Pan W, Wu S, Ma F, Jin P. Interaction of lncRNA-CR33942 with Dif/Dorsal Facilitates Antimicrobial Peptide Transcriptions and Enhances Drosophila Toll Immune Responses. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY (BALTIMORE, MD. : 1950) 2022; 208:1978-1988. [PMID: 35379744 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2100658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The Drosophila Toll signaling pathway mainly responds to Gram-positive (G+) bacteria or fungal infection, which is highly conserved with mammalian TLR signaling pathway. Although many positive and negative regulators involved in the immune response of the Toll pathway have been identified in Drosophila, the roles of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in Drosophila Toll immune responses are poorly understood to date. In this study, our results demonstrate that lncRNA-CR33942 is mainly expressed in the nucleus and upregulated after Micrococcus luteus infection. Especially, lncRNA-CR33942 not only modulates differential expressions of multiple antimicrobial peptide genes but also affects the Drosophila survival rate during response to G+ bacterial infection based on the transiently overexpressing and the knockdown lncRNA-CR33942 assays in vivo. Mechanically, lncRNA-CR33942 interacts with the NF-κB transcription factors Dorsal-related immunity factor/Dorsal to promote the transcriptions of antimicrobial peptides drosomycin and metchnikowin, thus enhancing Drosophila Toll immune responses. Taken together, this study identifies lncRNA-CR33942 as a positive regulator of Drosophila innate immune response to G+ bacterial infection to facilitate Toll signaling via interacting with Dorsal-related immunity factor/Dorsal. It would be helpful to reveal the roles of lncRNAs in Toll immune response in Drosophila and provide insights into animal innate immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongjian Zhou
- Laboratory for Comparative Genomics and Bioinformatics and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China; and
| | - Shengjie Li
- Laboratory for Comparative Genomics and Bioinformatics and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China; and.,Jiangsu Provincial Key Construction Laboratory of Special Biomass Byproduct Resource Utilization, School of Food Science, Nanjing Xiaozhuang University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Wanwan Pan
- Laboratory for Comparative Genomics and Bioinformatics and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China; and
| | - Shanshan Wu
- Laboratory for Comparative Genomics and Bioinformatics and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China; and
| | - Fei Ma
- Laboratory for Comparative Genomics and Bioinformatics and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China; and
| | - Ping Jin
- Laboratory for Comparative Genomics and Bioinformatics and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China; and
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16
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Camilleri-Robles C, Amador R, Klein CC, Guigó R, Corominas M, Ruiz-Romero M. Genomic and functional conservation of lncRNAs: lessons from flies. Mamm Genome 2022; 33:328-342. [PMID: 35098341 PMCID: PMC9114055 DOI: 10.1007/s00335-021-09939-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Over the last decade, the increasing interest in long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) has led to the discovery of these transcripts in multiple organisms. LncRNAs tend to be specifically, and often lowly, expressed in certain tissues, cell types and biological contexts. Although lncRNAs participate in the regulation of a wide variety of biological processes, including development and disease, most of their functions and mechanisms of action remain unknown. Poor conservation of the DNA sequences encoding for these transcripts makes the identification of lncRNAs orthologues among different species very challenging, especially between evolutionarily distant species such as flies and humans or mice. However, the functions of lncRNAs are unexpectedly preserved among different species supporting the idea that conservation occurs beyond DNA sequences and reinforcing the potential of characterising lncRNAs in animal models. In this review, we describe the features and roles of lncRNAs in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, focusing on genomic and functional comparisons with human and mouse lncRNAs. We also discuss the current state of advances and limitations in the study of lncRNA conservation and future perspectives.
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17
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Shang F, Ding BY, Zhang YT, Wu JJ, Pan ST, Wang JJ. Genome-wide analysis of long non-coding RNAs and their association with wing development in Aphis citricidus (Hemiptera: Aphididae). INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 139:103666. [PMID: 34619323 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2021.103666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Revised: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play critical roles in the various physiological processes of insects. The wing is a successful adaptation allowing insects to escape from unfavorable environments, while information on lncRNAs related to wing development is limited. In this study, we constructed 12 libraries from two RNA-seq comparisons: 4th instar winged nymphs versus winged adults and 4th instar wingless nymphs versus wingless adults in the brown citrus aphid Aphis citricidus, to identify the wing development-associated lncRNAs. A total of 2914 lncRNAs were identified and 50 lncRNAs were differentially expressed during the 4th instar winged nymphs to winged adults transition, and 28 lncRNAs changed during the 4th instar wingless nymphs to wingless adults transition. The differentially expressed lncRNAs were grouped into six clusters according to the expression patterns in the combined two-winged morphs. lncRNA Ac_lnc54106.1 was up-regulated during 4th instar winged nymphs to winged adults transition, but a lack of change during the 4th instar wingless nymphs to wingless adults transition implied a critical role in the specific regulation of wing development. RNA interference of Ac_lnc54106.1 resulted in malformed wings. Targets prediction, expression patterns, and RNAi assay results showed that Ac_lnc54106.1 may target the PiggyBac transposable element-derived protein 4 (PGBD4) gene, decrease expression of the canonical wing development-related genes, and finally regulate wing development. The systematic identification of lncRNAs in an aphid increases our understanding of how non-coding RNA mediates the wing plasticity of insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Shang
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China; State Cultivation Base of Crop Stress Biology for Southern Mountainous Land, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
| | - Bi-Yue Ding
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China; State Cultivation Base of Crop Stress Biology for Southern Mountainous Land, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
| | - Yong-Te Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China.
| | - Jin-Jin Wu
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China.
| | - Si-Tong Pan
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China.
| | - Jin-Jun Wang
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China; State Cultivation Base of Crop Stress Biology for Southern Mountainous Land, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
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18
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Li WJ, Wei D, Han HL, Song YJ, Wang Y, Xu HQ, Smagghe G, Wang JJ. lnc94638 is a testis-specific long non-coding RNA involved in spermatozoa formation in Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett). INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 30:605-614. [PMID: 34318563 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) generally display tissue-specific distributions, and testis-specific lncRNAs form the highest proportion of lncRNAs in many species. Here, we presented a detailed analysis of testis-specific lncRNAs in the melon fly, Zeugodacus cucurbitae, a highly destructive insect pest of cucurbitaceous and other related crops. Most testis-specific lncRNAs were found to be long intergenic non-coding RNAs (lincRNA). The size distribution of these lncRNAs ranged between 600 and 1000 nucleotides. Testis-specific lncRNAs that harboured one isoform number and two exons were the most abundant. Compared to other male tissues, the testis had more highly expressed lncRNAs. The quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction results of 10 randomly selected testis-specific lncRNAs showed expression patterns consistent with RNA-seq data. Further analysis of the most highly expressed testis-specific lncRNA, lnc94638, was undertaken. Fluorescent in situ hybridization assays localized lnc94638 to the apical region of the testis that contains mature spermatozoa. RNA interference-mediated knockdown of lnc94638 expression reduced spermatozoa numbers and impaired the fertility of Z. cucurbitae male. This study provides a catalogue of testis-specific lncRNAs, shows that the testis-specific lnc94638 is involved in spermatogenesis and has the potential to be used for treating male sterility.
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Affiliation(s)
- W-J Li
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- International Joint Laboratory of China-Belgium on Sustainable Crop Pest Control, State Cultivation Base of Crop Stress Biology for Southern Mountainous Land, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - D Wei
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- International Joint Laboratory of China-Belgium on Sustainable Crop Pest Control, State Cultivation Base of Crop Stress Biology for Southern Mountainous Land, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - H-L Han
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- International Joint Laboratory of China-Belgium on Sustainable Crop Pest Control, State Cultivation Base of Crop Stress Biology for Southern Mountainous Land, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Y-J Song
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- International Joint Laboratory of China-Belgium on Sustainable Crop Pest Control, State Cultivation Base of Crop Stress Biology for Southern Mountainous Land, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Y Wang
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- International Joint Laboratory of China-Belgium on Sustainable Crop Pest Control, State Cultivation Base of Crop Stress Biology for Southern Mountainous Land, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - H-Q Xu
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- International Joint Laboratory of China-Belgium on Sustainable Crop Pest Control, State Cultivation Base of Crop Stress Biology for Southern Mountainous Land, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - G Smagghe
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- International Joint Laboratory of China-Belgium on Sustainable Crop Pest Control, State Cultivation Base of Crop Stress Biology for Southern Mountainous Land, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Department of Plants and Crops, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - J-J Wang
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- International Joint Laboratory of China-Belgium on Sustainable Crop Pest Control, State Cultivation Base of Crop Stress Biology for Southern Mountainous Land, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
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Majane AC, Cridland JM, Begun DJ. Single-nucleus transcriptomes reveal evolutionary and functional properties of cell types in the Drosophila accessory gland. Genetics 2021; 220:6440054. [PMID: 34849871 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyab213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Many traits responsible for male reproduction evolve quickly, including gene expression phenotypes in germline and somatic male reproductive tissues. Rapid male evolution in polyandrous species is thought to be driven by competition among males for fertilizations and conflicts between male and female fitness interests that manifest in post-copulatory phenotypes. In Drosophila, seminal fluid proteins secreted by three major cell types of the male accessory gland and ejaculatory duct are required for female sperm storage and use, and influence female post-copulatory traits. Recent work has shown that these cell types have overlapping but distinct effects on female post-copulatory biology, yet relatively little is known about their evolutionary properties. Here we use single-nucleus RNA-Seq of the accessory gland and ejaculatory duct from Drosophila melanogaster and two closely related species to comprehensively describe the cell diversity of these tissues and their transcriptome evolution for the first time. We find that seminal fluid transcripts are strongly partitioned across the major cell types, and expression of many other genes additionally define each cell type. We also report previously undocumented diversity in main cells. Transcriptome divergence was found to be heterogeneous across cell types and lineages, revealing a complex evolutionary process. Furthermore, protein adaptation varied across cell types, with potential consequences for our understanding of selection on male post-copulatory traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex C Majane
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California - Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Julie M Cridland
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California - Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - David J Begun
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California - Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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20
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Repression of the Hox gene abd-A by ELAV-mediated Transcriptional Interference. PLoS Genet 2021; 17:e1009843. [PMID: 34780465 PMCID: PMC8629391 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Revised: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Intergenic transcription is a common feature of eukaryotic genomes and performs important and diverse cellular functions. Here, we investigate the iab-8 ncRNA from the Drosophila Bithorax Complex and show that this RNA is able to repress the transcription of genes located at its 3’ end by a sequence-independent, transcriptional interference mechanism. Although this RNA is expressed in the early epidermis and CNS, we find that its repressive activity is limited to the CNS, where, in wild-type embryos, it acts on the Hox gene, abd-A, located immediately downstream of it. The CNS specificity is achieved through a 3’ extension of the transcript, mediated by the neuronal-specific, RNA-binding protein, ELAV. Loss of ELAV activity eliminates the 3’ extension and results in the ectopic activation of abd-A. Thus, a tissue-specific change in the length of a ncRNA is used to generate a precise pattern of gene expression in a higher eukaryote. Although all of the cells making up complex organisms contain the same genetic material, they are nevertheless able to create the diverse tissues of the body. They do this by changing the genes they express. Thus, understanding how genes are controlled in a tissue-specific fashion is one of the primary interests of molecular genetics. Within the bithorax homeotic complex of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, we, and others, previously showed that a >92 kb-long non-coding RNA, called the iab-8 ncRNA, downregulates many important developmental genes, including its genomic downstream neighbor, the homeotic gene abd-A. This downregulation is important as its loss is linked to female sterility. Interestingly, we find that the iab-8 ncRNA regulates abd-A through a mechanism called transcriptional interference, where one gene downregulates a target gene by transcribing over it. In the case of iab-8, this process is limited to the posterior central nervous system, where the iab-8 ncRNA is specifically extended into the abd-A gene by the action of the neuronal-specific RNA binding protein, ELAV. Overall, our work highlights a largely unexplored mechanism by which tissue-specific gene regulation is achieved.
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Zhou H, Ni J, Wu S, Ma F, Jin P, Li S. lncRNA-CR46018 positively regulates the Drosophila Toll immune response by interacting with Dif/Dorsal. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2021; 124:104183. [PMID: 34174242 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2021.104183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Revised: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The Toll signaling pathway is highly conserved from insects to mammals. Drosophila is a model species that is commonly used to study innate immunity. Although many studies have assessed protein-coding genes that regulate the Toll pathway, it is unclear whether long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play regulatory roles in the Toll pathway. Here, we evaluated the expression of the lncRNA CR46018 in Drosophila. Our results showed that this lncRNA was significantly overexpressed after infection of Drosophila with Micrococcus luteus. A CR46018-overexpressing Drosophila strain was then constructed; we expected that CR46018 overexpression would enhance the expression of various antimicrobial peptides downstream of the Toll pathway, regardless of infection with M. luteus. RNA-seq analysis of CR46018-overexpressing Drosophila after infection with M. luteus showed that upregulated genes were mainly enriched in Toll and Imd signaling pathways. Moreover, bioinformatics predictions and RNA-immunoprecipitation experiments showed that CR46018 interacted with the transcription factors Dif and Dorsal to enhance the Toll pathway. During gram-positive bacterial infection, flies overexpressing CR46018 showed favorable survival compared with flies in the control group. Overall, our current work not only reveals a new immune regulatory factor, lncRNA-CR46018, and explores its potential regulatory model, but also provides a new perspective for the effect of immune disorders on the survival of Drosophila melanogaster.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongjian Zhou
- Laboratory for Comparative Genomics and Bioinformatics & Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210046, PR China.
| | - Jiajia Ni
- Laboratory for Comparative Genomics and Bioinformatics & Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210046, PR China.
| | - Shanshan Wu
- Laboratory for Comparative Genomics and Bioinformatics & Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210046, PR China.
| | - Fei Ma
- Laboratory for Comparative Genomics and Bioinformatics & Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210046, PR China.
| | - Ping Jin
- Laboratory for Comparative Genomics and Bioinformatics & Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210046, PR China.
| | - Shengjie Li
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Construction Laboratory of Special Biomass Byproduct Resource Utilization, School of Food Science, Nanjing Xiaozhuang University, Nanjing, 211171, PR China.
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22
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Yang L, Wang YW, Lu YY, Li B, Chen KP, Li CJ. Genome-wide identification and characterization of long non-coding RNAs in Tribolium castaneum. INSECT SCIENCE 2021; 28:1262-1276. [PMID: 32978885 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.12867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2020] [Revised: 07/19/2020] [Accepted: 08/02/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are poorly understood in insects. In this study, we performed genome-wide analysis of lncRNAs in Tribolium castaneum by RNA-seq. In total, 4516 lncRNA transcripts corresponding to 3917 genes were identified from late embryos, early larvae, late larvae, early pupae, late pupae and early adults of T. castaneum, including 3152 novel lncRNAs and 1364 known lncRNAs. These lncRNAs have few exons and transcripts, and are short in length. During development, they exhibited nine different expression patterns. Functionally, they can act either by targeting messenger RNAs (1813 lncRNAs) and lncRNAs (45 lncRNAs) or as micro RNA (miRNA) precursors (46 lncRNAs). LncRNAs were observed to target the metabolic enzymes of glycolysis, TCA cycle and amino acids, demonstrating that lncRNAs control metabolism by regulating metabolic enzymes. Moreover, lncRNAs were shown to participate in cell differentiation and development via their targets. As miRNA precursors, lncRNAs could participate in the ecdysone signaling pathway. This study provides comprehensive information for lncRNAs of T. castaneum, and will promote functional analysis and target identification of lncRNAs in the insect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liu Yang
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, 212013, China
| | - You-Wei Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, 212013, China
| | - Yao-Yao Lu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Bin Li
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Ke-Ping Chen
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, 212013, China
| | - Cheng-Jun Li
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, 212013, China
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23
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Castro Alvarez JJ, Revel M, Cléard F, Pauli D, Karch F, Maeda RK. Repression of the Hox gene abd-A by ELAV-mediated Transcriptional Interference.. [DOI: 10.1101/2021.09.29.462302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACTIntergenic transcription is a common feature of eukaryotic genomes and performs important and diverse cellular functions. Here, we investigate the iab-8 ncRNA from the Drosophila Bithorax Complex and show that this RNA is able to repress the transcription of genes located at its 3’ end by a sequence-independent, transcriptional interference mechanism. Although this RNA is expressed in the early epidermis and CNS, we find that its repressive activity is limited to the CNS, where in wild-type embryos, it acts on the Hox gene, abd-A located immediately downstream of it. The CNS specificity is achieved through a 3’ extension of the transcript, mediated by the neuronal-specific, RNA-binding protein, ELAV. Loss of ELAV activity eliminates the 3’ extension and results in the ectopic activation of abd-A. Thus, a tissue-specific change in the length of a ncRNA is used to generate a precise pattern of gene expression in a higher eukaryote.
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Zhou H, Li S, Wu S, Jin P, Ma F. LncRNA-CR11538 Decoys Dif/Dorsal to Reduce Antimicrobial Peptide Products for Restoring Drosophila Toll Immunity Homeostasis. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms221810117. [PMID: 34576280 PMCID: PMC8468853 DOI: 10.3390/ijms221810117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Revised: 09/12/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Avoiding excessive or insufficient immune responses and maintaining homeostasis are critical for animal survival. Although many positive or negative modulators involved in immune responses have been identified, little has been reported to date concerning whether the long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) can regulate Drosophila immunity response. In this study, we firstly discover that the overexpression of lncRNA-CR11538 can inhibit the expressions of antimicrobial peptides Drosomycin (Drs) and Metchnikowin (Mtk) in vivo, thereby suppressing the Toll signaling pathway. Secondly, our results demonstrate that lncRNA-CR11538 can interact with transcription factors Dif/Dorsal in the nucleus based on both subcellular localization and RIP analyses. Thirdly, our findings reveal that lncRNA-CR11538 can decoy Dif/Dorsal away from the promoters of Drs and Mtk to repress their transcriptions by ChIP-qPCR and dual luciferase report experiments. Fourthly, the dynamic expression changes of Drs, Dif, Dorsal and lncRNA-CR11538 in wild-type flies (w1118) at different time points after M. luteus stimulation disclose that lncRNA-CR11538 can help Drosophila restore immune homeostasis in the later period of immune response. Overall, our study reveals a novel mechanism by which lncRNA-CR11538 serves as a Dif/Dorsal decoy to downregulate antimicrobial peptide expressions for restoring Drosophila Toll immunity homeostasis, and provides a new insight into further studying the complex regulatory mechanism of animal innate immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongjian Zhou
- Laboratory for Comparative Genomics and Bioinformatics & Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210046, China; (H.Z.); (S.L.); (S.W.); (F.M.)
| | - Shengjie Li
- Laboratory for Comparative Genomics and Bioinformatics & Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210046, China; (H.Z.); (S.L.); (S.W.); (F.M.)
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Construction Laboratory of Special Biomass Byproduct Resource Utilization, School of Food Science, Nanjing Xiaozhuang University, Nanjing 211171, China
| | - Shanshan Wu
- Laboratory for Comparative Genomics and Bioinformatics & Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210046, China; (H.Z.); (S.L.); (S.W.); (F.M.)
| | - Ping Jin
- Laboratory for Comparative Genomics and Bioinformatics & Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210046, China; (H.Z.); (S.L.); (S.W.); (F.M.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-25-85891050
| | - Fei Ma
- Laboratory for Comparative Genomics and Bioinformatics & Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210046, China; (H.Z.); (S.L.); (S.W.); (F.M.)
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25
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Li G, Liu X, Smagghe G, Niu J, Wang J. Genome-Wide Characterization and Identification of Long Non-Coding RNAs during the Molting Process of a Spider Mite, Panonychus citri. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:6909. [PMID: 34199120 PMCID: PMC8269015 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22136909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Revised: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Molting is essential for arthropods to grow. As one of the important arthropod pests in agriculture, key spider mite species (Tetranychus and Panonychus) can normally molt three times from the larva to adult stage within a week. This physiological strategy results in the short lifecycle of spider mites and difficulties in their control in the field. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) regulate transcriptional editing, cellular function, and biological processes. Thus, analysis of the lncRNAs in the spider mite molting process may provide new insights into their roles in the molting mechanism. For this purpose, we used high-throughput RNA-seq to examine the expression dynamics of lncRNAs and mRNAs in the molting process of different development stages in Panonychus citri. We identified 9199 lncRNAs from 18 transcriptomes. Analysis of the lncRNAs suggested that they were shorter and had fewer exons and transcripts than mRNAs. Among these, 356 lncRNAs were differentially expressed during three molting processes: late larva to early protonymph, late protonymph to early deutonymph, and late deutonymph to early adult. A time series profile analysis of differentially expressed lncRNAs showed that 77 lncRNAs were clustered into two dynamic expression profiles (Pattern a and Pattern c), implying that lncRNAs were involved in the molting process of spider mites. Furthermore, the lncRNA-mRNA co-expression networks showed that several differentially expressed hub lncRNAs were predicted to be functionally associated with typical molting-related proteins, such as cuticle protein and chitin biosynthesis. These data reveal the potential regulatory function of lncRNAs in the molting process and provide datasets for further analysis of lncRNAs and mRNAs in spider mites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gang Li
- Provincial Key Laboratory of Agricultural Pest Management of Mountainous Regions, Institute of Entomology, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China;
- International Joint Laboratory of China-Belgium on Sustainable Crop Pest Control, State Cultivation Base of Crop Stress Biology for Southern Mountainous Land, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; (X.L.); (G.S.); (J.N.)
| | - Xunyan Liu
- International Joint Laboratory of China-Belgium on Sustainable Crop Pest Control, State Cultivation Base of Crop Stress Biology for Southern Mountainous Land, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; (X.L.); (G.S.); (J.N.)
| | - Guy Smagghe
- International Joint Laboratory of China-Belgium on Sustainable Crop Pest Control, State Cultivation Base of Crop Stress Biology for Southern Mountainous Land, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; (X.L.); (G.S.); (J.N.)
- Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jinzhi Niu
- International Joint Laboratory of China-Belgium on Sustainable Crop Pest Control, State Cultivation Base of Crop Stress Biology for Southern Mountainous Land, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; (X.L.); (G.S.); (J.N.)
| | - Jinjun Wang
- International Joint Laboratory of China-Belgium on Sustainable Crop Pest Control, State Cultivation Base of Crop Stress Biology for Southern Mountainous Land, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; (X.L.); (G.S.); (J.N.)
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26
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Choudhary C, Sharma S, Meghwanshi KK, Patel S, Mehta P, Shukla N, Do DN, Rajpurohit S, Suravajhala P, Shukla JN. Long Non-Coding RNAs in Insects. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:1118. [PMID: 33919662 PMCID: PMC8069800 DOI: 10.3390/ani11041118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2021] [Revised: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Only a small subset of all the transcribed RNAs are used as a template for protein translation, whereas RNA molecules that are not translated play a very important role as regulatory non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). Besides traditionally known RNAs (ribosomal and transfer RNAs), ncRNAs also include small non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). The lncRNAs, which were initially thought to be junk, have gained a great deal attention because of their regulatory roles in diverse biological processes in animals and plants. Insects are the most abundant and diverse group of animals on this planet. Recent studies have demonstrated the role of lncRNAs in almost all aspects of insect development, reproduction, and genetic plasticity. In this review, we describe the function and molecular mechanisms of the mode of action of different insect lncRNAs discovered up to date.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chhavi Choudhary
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Central University of Rajasthan, Bandarsindari, Ajmer 305801, India; (C.C.); (K.K.M.)
| | - Shivasmi Sharma
- Department of Biotechnology, Amity University Jaipur, Jaipur 303002, India; (S.S.); (S.P.)
| | - Keshav Kumar Meghwanshi
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Central University of Rajasthan, Bandarsindari, Ajmer 305801, India; (C.C.); (K.K.M.)
| | - Smit Patel
- Department of Biotechnology, Amity University Jaipur, Jaipur 303002, India; (S.S.); (S.P.)
| | - Prachi Mehta
- Division of Biological & Life Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Ahmedabad University, Gujarat 380009, India; (P.M.); (S.R.)
| | - Nidhi Shukla
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Birla Institute of Scientific Research, Jaipur 302001, India;
| | - Duy Ngoc Do
- Institute of Research and Development, Duy Tan University, Danang 550000, Vietnam;
| | - Subhash Rajpurohit
- Division of Biological & Life Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Ahmedabad University, Gujarat 380009, India; (P.M.); (S.R.)
| | - Prashanth Suravajhala
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Birla Institute of Scientific Research, Jaipur 302001, India;
- Bioclues.org, Vivekananda Nagar, Kukatpally, Hyderabad, Telangana 500072, India
| | - Jayendra Nath Shukla
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Central University of Rajasthan, Bandarsindari, Ajmer 305801, India; (C.C.); (K.K.M.)
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27
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Immarigeon C, Frei Y, Delbare SYN, Gligorov D, Machado Almeida P, Grey J, Fabbro L, Nagoshi E, Billeter JC, Wolfner MF, Karch F, Maeda RK. Identification of a micropeptide and multiple secondary cell genes that modulate Drosophila male reproductive success. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2001897118. [PMID: 33876742 PMCID: PMC8053986 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2001897118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Even in well-characterized genomes, many transcripts are considered noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) simply due to the absence of large open reading frames (ORFs). However, it is now becoming clear that many small ORFs (smORFs) produce peptides with important biological functions. In the process of characterizing the ribosome-bound transcriptome of an important cell type of the seminal fluid-producing accessory gland of Drosophila melanogaster, we detected an RNA, previously thought to be noncoding, called male-specific abdominal (msa). Notably, msa is nested in the HOX gene cluster of the Bithorax complex and is known to contain a micro-RNA within one of its introns. We find that this RNA encodes a "micropeptide" (9 or 20 amino acids, MSAmiP) that is expressed exclusively in the secondary cells of the male accessory gland, where it seems to accumulate in nuclei. Importantly, loss of function of this micropeptide causes defects in sperm competition. In addition to bringing insights into the biology of a rare cell type, this work underlines the importance of small peptides, a class of molecules that is now emerging as important actors in complex biological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clément Immarigeon
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, Sciences III, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland;
| | - Yohan Frei
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, Sciences III, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland
| | - Sofie Y N Delbare
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853-2703
| | - Dragan Gligorov
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, Sciences III, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland
| | - Pedro Machado Almeida
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, Sciences III, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland
| | - Jasmine Grey
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853-2703
| | - Léa Fabbro
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, Sciences III, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland
| | - Emi Nagoshi
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, Sciences III, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland
| | - Jean-Christophe Billeter
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen 9700 CC, The Netherlands
| | - Mariana F Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853-2703
| | - François Karch
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, Sciences III, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland
| | - Robert K Maeda
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, Sciences III, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland;
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Xing L, Xi Y, Qiao X, Huang C, Wu Q, Yang N, Guo J, Liu W, Fan W, Wan F, Qian W. The landscape of lncRNAs in Cydia pomonella provides insights into their signatures and potential roles in transcriptional regulation. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:4. [PMID: 33402093 PMCID: PMC7786964 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-020-07313-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as an important class of transcriptional regulators in cellular processes. The past decades have witnessed great progress in lncRNA studies in a variety of organisms. The codling moth (Cydia pomonella L.) is an important invasive insect in China. However, the functional impact of lncRNAs in this insect remains unclear. In this study, an atlas of codling moth lncRNAs was constructed based on publicly available RNA-seq datasets. Results In total, 9875 lncRNA transcripts encoded by 9161 loci were identified in the codling moth. As expected, the lncRNAs exhibited shorter transcript lengths, lower GC contents, and lower expression levels than protein-coding genes (PCGs). Additionally, the lncRNAs were more likely to show tissue-specific expression patterns than PCGs. Interestingly, a substantial fraction of the lncRNAs showed a testis-biased expression pattern. Additionally, conservation analysis indicated that lncRNA sequences were weakly conserved across insect species, though additional lncRNAs with homologous relationships could be identified based on synteny, suggesting that synteny could be a more reliable approach for the cross-species comparison of lncRNAs. Furthermore, the correlation analysis of lncRNAs with neighbouring PCGs indicated a stronger correlation between them, suggesting potential cis-acting roles of these lncRNAs in the regulation of gene expression. Conclusions Taken together, our work provides a valuable resource for the comparative and functional study of lncRNAs, which will facilitate the understanding of their mechanistic roles in transcriptional regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Longsheng Xing
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, 518120, China
| | - Yu Xi
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, 518120, China
| | - Xi Qiao
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, 518120, China
| | - Cong Huang
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, 518120, China
| | - Qiang Wu
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, 518120, China
| | - Nianwan Yang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Jianyang Guo
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Wanxue Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Wei Fan
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, 518120, China.
| | - Fanghao Wan
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, 518120, China. .,State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China.
| | - Wanqiang Qian
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, 518120, China.
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Pérez-Lluch S, Klein CC, Breschi A, Ruiz-Romero M, Abad A, Palumbo E, Bekish L, Arnan C, Guigó R. bsAS, an antisense long non-coding RNA, essential for correct wing development through regulation of blistered/DSRF isoform usage. PLoS Genet 2020; 16:e1009245. [PMID: 33370262 PMCID: PMC7793246 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2020] [Revised: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural Antisense Transcripts (NATs) are long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) that overlap coding genes in the opposite strand. NATs roles have been related to gene regulation through different mechanisms, including post-transcriptional RNA processing. With the aim to identify NATs with potential regulatory function during fly development, we generated RNA-Seq data in Drosophila developing tissues and found bsAS, one of the most highly expressed lncRNAs in the fly wing. bsAS is antisense to bs/DSRF, a gene involved in wing development and neural processes. bsAS plays a crucial role in the tissue specific regulation of the expression of the bs/DSRF isoforms. This regulation is essential for the correct determination of cell fate during Drosophila development, as bsAS knockouts show highly aberrant phenotypes. Regulation of bs isoform usage by bsAS is mediated by specific physical interactions between the promoters of these two genes, which suggests a regulatory mechanism involving the collision of RNA polymerases transcribing in opposite directions. Evolutionary analysis suggests that bsAS NAT emerged simultaneously to the long-short isoform structure of bs, preceding the emergence of wings in insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sílvia Pérez-Lluch
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute for Science and Technology, Barcelona (BIST), Catalonia, Spain
| | - Cecilia C. Klein
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute for Science and Technology, Barcelona (BIST), Catalonia, Spain
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Facultat de Biologia and Institut de Biomedicina (IBUB), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Alessandra Breschi
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute for Science and Technology, Barcelona (BIST), Catalonia, Spain
| | - Marina Ruiz-Romero
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute for Science and Technology, Barcelona (BIST), Catalonia, Spain
| | - Amaya Abad
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute for Science and Technology, Barcelona (BIST), Catalonia, Spain
| | - Emilio Palumbo
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute for Science and Technology, Barcelona (BIST), Catalonia, Spain
| | - Lyazzat Bekish
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute for Science and Technology, Barcelona (BIST), Catalonia, Spain
| | - Carme Arnan
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute for Science and Technology, Barcelona (BIST), Catalonia, Spain
| | - Roderic Guigó
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute for Science and Technology, Barcelona (BIST), Catalonia, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
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Abstract
The Genetics Society of America's (GSA's) Edward Novitski Prize recognizes a single experimental accomplishment or a body of work in which an exceptional level of creativity, and intellectual ingenuity, has been used to design and execute scientific experiments to solve a difficult problem in genetics. The 2020 recipient is Welcome W. Bender of Harvard Medical School, recognizing his creativity and ingenuity in revealing the molecular nature and regulation of the bithorax gene complex.
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31
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miRNAs and Neural Alternative Polyadenylation Specify the Virgin Behavioral State. Dev Cell 2020; 54:410-423.e4. [PMID: 32579967 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2020.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2019] [Revised: 04/03/2020] [Accepted: 06/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
How are diverse regulatory strategies integrated to impose appropriately patterned gene expression that underlie in vivo phenotypes? Here, we reveal how coordinated miRNA regulation and neural-specific alternative polyadenylation (APA) of a single locus controls complex behaviors. Our entry was the unexpected observation that deletion of Bithorax complex (BX-C) miRNAs converts virgin female flies into a subjective post-mated behavioral state, normally induced by seminal proteins following copulation. Strikingly, this behavioral switch is directly attributable to misregulation of homothorax (hth). We localize specific CNS abdominal neurons where de-repressed Hth compromises virgin behavior in BX-C miRNA mutants. Moreover, we use genome engineering to demonstrate that precise mutation of hth 3' UTR sites for BX-C miRNAs or deletion of its neural 3' UTR extension containing most of these sites both induce post-mated behaviors in virgins. Thus, facilitation of miRNA-mediated repression by neural APA is required for virgin females to execute behaviors appropriate to their internal state.
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Zhang S, Shen S, Yang Z, Kong X, Liu F, Zhen Z. Coding and Non-coding RNAs: Molecular Basis of Forest-Insect Outbreaks. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:369. [PMID: 32596236 PMCID: PMC7300193 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.00369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2020] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Insect population dynamics are closely related to 'human' ecological and economic environments, and a central focus of research is outbreaks. However, the lack of molecular-based investigations restricts our understanding of the intrinsic mechanisms responsible for insect outbreaks. In this context, the moth Dendrolimus punctatus Walker can serve as an ideal model species for insect population dynamics research because it undergoes periodic outbreaks. Here, high-throughput whole-transcriptome sequencing was performed using D. punctatus, sampled during latent and outbreak periods, to systemically explore the molecular basis of insect outbreaks and to identify the involved non-coding RNA (ncRNA) regulators, namely microRNAs, long non-coding RNAs, and circular RNAs. Differentially expressed mRNAs of D. punctatus from different outbreak periods were involved in developmental, reproductive, immune, and chemosensory processes; results that were consistent with the physiological differences in D. punctatus during differing outbreak periods. Targets analysis of the non-coding RNAs indicated that long non-coding RNAs could be the primary ncRNA regulators of D. punctatus outbreaks, while circular RNAs mainly regulated synapses and cell junctions. The target genes of differentially expressed microRNAs mainly regulated the metabolic and reproductive pathways during the D. punctatus outbreaks. Developmental, multi-organismal, and reproductive processes, as well as biological adhesion, characterized the competing endogenous RNA network. Chemosensory and immune genes closely related to the outbreak of D. punctatus were further analyzed in detail: from their ncRNA regulators' analysis, we deduce that both lncRNA and miRNA may play significant roles. This is the first report to examine the molecular basis of coding and non-coding RNAs' roles in insect outbreaks. The results provide potential biomarkers for control targets in forest insect management, as well as fresh insights into underlying outbreak-related mechanisms, which could be used for improving insect control strategies in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sufang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Forest Protection of State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Research Institute of Forest Ecology, Environment and Protection, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China
| | - Sifan Shen
- Key Laboratory of Forest Protection of State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Research Institute of Forest Ecology, Environment and Protection, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China
| | - Zhongwu Yang
- Forestry Comprehensive Development Center of Guilin, Guilin, China
| | - Xiangbo Kong
- Key Laboratory of Forest Protection of State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Research Institute of Forest Ecology, Environment and Protection, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China
| | - Fu Liu
- Key Laboratory of Forest Protection of State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Research Institute of Forest Ecology, Environment and Protection, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China
| | - Zhang Zhen
- Key Laboratory of Forest Protection of State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Research Institute of Forest Ecology, Environment and Protection, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China
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Liang M, Wang H, He C, Zhang K, Hu K. LncRNA-Gm2044 is transcriptionally activated by A-MYB and regulates Sycp1 expression as a miR-335-3p sponge in mouse spermatocyte-derived GC-2spd(ts) cells. Differentiation 2020; 114:49-57. [PMID: 32585553 DOI: 10.1016/j.diff.2020.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2020] [Revised: 04/26/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been shown to execute key roles in spermatogenesis. However, little is known about how lncRNAs gene expression is itself regulated in the germ cells of testis. We previously demonstrated that high expression of lncRNA-Gm2044 exists in spermatocytes and can regulate male germ cell proliferation. Here, the transcriptional regulation of lnRNA-Gm2044 expression in spermatocytes and the downstream signaling were further explored. A bioinformatics assessment predicted two potential binding-sites for the spermatocyte-specific transcription factor A-MYB in the promoter region of lncRNA-Gm2044. Our results proved that the transcription factor A-MYB promotes the expression of lncRNA-Gm2044 in mouse spermatocyte-derived GC-2spd(ts) cells. ChIP and luciferase assays verified that A-MYB mainly binds to the distal promoter region (-819 bp relative to the transcription start site) of lncRNA-Gm2044 and regulates lncRNA-Gm2044 expression through the -819 bp binding-site. In addition, we confirmed that lncRNA-Gm2044 functions as a miR-335-3p sponge to enhance the levels of miR-335-3p's direct target protein, Sycp1. Furthermore, A-MYB can up-regulate Sycp1 expression and down-regulate GC-2spd(ts) cell proliferation by activating its target, lncRNA-Gm2044. Overexpression of lncRNA-Gm2044 or knockdown of miR-335-3p can, at least partially, rescue the effects of A-MYB on Sycp1 expression and GC-2spd(ts) cell proliferation.Taken together, our results provide new information on the mechanistic roles of lncRNA-miRNA in transcription factor A-MYB regulation of spermatocyte function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Liang
- School of Life Science, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui, People's Republic of China.
| | - Haiyan Wang
- School of Life Science, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui, People's Republic of China
| | - Chaofan He
- School of Life Science, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui, People's Republic of China
| | - Kejia Zhang
- School of Life Science, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui, People's Republic of China
| | - Ke Hu
- School of Life Science, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui, People's Republic of China.
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Kerwin P, Yuan J, von Philipsborn AC. Female copulation song is modulated by seminal fluid. Nat Commun 2020; 11:1430. [PMID: 32188855 PMCID: PMC7080721 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-15260-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2019] [Accepted: 02/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
In most animal species, males and females communicate during sexual behavior to negotiate reproductive investments. Pre-copulatory courtship may settle if copulation takes place, but often information exchange and decision-making continue beyond that point. Here, we show that female Drosophila sing by wing vibration in copula. This copulation song is distinct from male courtship song and requires neurons expressing the female sex determination factor DoublesexF. Copulation song depends on transfer of seminal fluid components of the male accessory gland. Hearing female copulation song increases the reproductive success of a male when he is challenged by competition, suggesting that auditory cues from the female modulate male ejaculate allocation. Our findings reveal an unexpected fine-tuning of reproductive decisions during a multimodal copulatory dialog. The discovery of a female-specific acoustic behavior sheds new light on Drosophila mating, sexual dimorphisms of neuronal circuits and the impact of seminal fluid molecules on nervous system and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Kerwin
- Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience (DANDRITE), Nordic-EMBL Partnership for Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University, Hoegh-Guldbergsgade 10, 8000, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Jiasheng Yuan
- Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience (DANDRITE), Nordic-EMBL Partnership for Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University, Hoegh-Guldbergsgade 10, 8000, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Anne C von Philipsborn
- Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience (DANDRITE), Nordic-EMBL Partnership for Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University, Hoegh-Guldbergsgade 10, 8000, Aarhus, Denmark.
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Insights into the Functions of LncRNAs in Drosophila. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20184646. [PMID: 31546813 PMCID: PMC6770079 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20184646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2019] [Revised: 09/11/2019] [Accepted: 09/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a class of non-coding RNAs longer than 200 nucleotides (nt). LncRNAs have high spatiotemporal specificity, and secondary structures have been preserved throughout evolution. They have been implicated in a range of biological processes and diseases and are emerging as key regulators of gene expression at the epigenetic, transcriptional, and post-transcriptional levels. Comparative analyses of lncRNA functions among multiple organisms have suggested that some of their mechanisms seem to be conserved. Transcriptome studies have found that some Drosophila lncRNAs have highly specific expression patterns in embryos, nerves, and gonads. In vivo studies of lncRNAs have revealed that dysregulated expression of lncRNAs in Drosophila may result in impaired embryo development, impaired neurological and gonadal functions, and poor stress resistance. In this review, we summarize the epigenetic, transcriptional, and post-transcriptional mechanisms of lncRNAs and mainly focus on recent insights into the transcriptome studies and biological functions of lncRNAs in Drosophila.
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Wang H, Hu H, Xiang Z, Lu C, Dai F, Tong X. Identification and characterization of a new long noncoding RNA iab-1 in the Hox cluster of silkworm, Bombyx mori identification of iab-1. J Cell Biochem 2019; 120:17283-17292. [PMID: 31106470 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.28990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2019] [Revised: 04/06/2019] [Accepted: 04/11/2019] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) areinvolvedin a variety of biological processes. In silkworm, numerous lncRNAs have been predicted through deep transcriptome sequencing, but no functional role has been experimentally validated yet. Here, we characterized a new lncRNA iab-1 that was mainly encoded by the intergenic region between Bmabd-A and Bmabd-B in the Homeobox (Hox) cluster of the silkworm, Bombyx mori. More than seven alternative splicing isoforms of lncRNA iab-1 were cloned, which were subgrouped into types 1 and 2 based on the location of the 3'-ends. The iab-1 was expressed at a low level, but the expression of iab-1 peaked at several specific development stages, including 3 to 4 days during the embryonic stage, stages before fourth molting, and the sixth hour after the fourth molting, and early stages during metamorphosis. It was highly expressed in the nervus and epidermis, especially the epidermis of the posterior abdomen at the fourth instar premolting stage. The relationship between iab-1 and nearby Hox genes was analyzed at different developmental stages. Iab-1 expression was highly associated with Bmabd-A as well as Bmabd-B in the embryonic and larval stages, while this association was decreased at the metamorphic stage; iab-1 expression was highly associated with BmUbx only in the embryonic stage. Downregulation of iab-1 expression by small interfering RNA led to the death of most of the treated individuals at the larval stage, suggesting that iab-1 transcript expression might be involved in certain relevant physiological processes. The expression of Bmabd-A and Bmabd-B did not change in iab-1 downregulated individuals, indicating that the relevance between the two genes and iab-1 was not induced by iab-1 transcript. Collectively, the results showed that the newly identified iab-1 may be involved in some physiological processes, and the interaction between iab-1 and Hox genes was also preliminarily analyzed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Honglei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Genetic Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Hai Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Genetic Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Zhonghuai Xiang
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Genetic Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Cheng Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Genetic Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Fangyin Dai
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Genetic Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiaoling Tong
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Genetic Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
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Liang M, Hu K, He C, Zhou J, Liao Y. Upregulated lncRNA Gm2044 inhibits male germ cell development by acting as miR-202 host gene. Anim Cells Syst (Seoul) 2019; 23:128-134. [PMID: 30949400 PMCID: PMC6440523 DOI: 10.1080/19768354.2019.1591506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2018] [Revised: 02/07/2019] [Accepted: 02/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been found to participate in the regulation of human spermatogenic cell development. However, little is known about the abnormal expression of lncRNAs associated with spermatogenic failure and their molecular mechanisms. Using lncRNA microarray of testicular tissue for male infertility and bioinformatics methods, we identified the relatively conserved lncRNA Gm2044 which may play important roles in non-obstructive azoospermia. The UCSC Genome Browser showed that lncRNA Gm2044 is the miR-202 host gene. This study revealed that lncRNA Gm2044 and miR-202 were significantly increased in non-obstructive azoospermia of spermatogonial arrest. The mRNA and protein levels of Rbfox2, a known direct target gene of miR-202, were regulated by lncRNA Gm2044. Furthermore, the miR-202-Rbfox2 signalling pathway was shown to mediate the suppressive effects of lncRNA Gm2044 on the proliferation of human testicular embryonic carcinoma cells. Understanding of the molecular signalling pathways for lncRNA-regulated spermatogenesis will provide new clues into the pathogenesis and treatment of patients with male infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Liang
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, People's Republic of China
| | - Ke Hu
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, People's Republic of China
| | - Chaofan He
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, People's Republic of China
| | - Jinzhao Zhou
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, People's Republic of China
| | - Yaping Liao
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, People's Republic of China
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Prince E, Kroeger B, Gligorov D, Wilson C, Eaton S, Karch F, Brankatschk M, Maeda RK. Rab-mediated trafficking in the secondary cells of Drosophila male accessory glands and its role in fecundity. Traffic 2018; 20:137-151. [PMID: 30426623 PMCID: PMC6492190 DOI: 10.1111/tra.12622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2018] [Revised: 11/01/2018] [Accepted: 11/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The male seminal fluid contains factors that affect female post‐mating behavior and physiology. In Drosophila, most of these factors are secreted by the two epithelial cell types that make up the male accessory gland: the main and secondary cells. Although secondary cells represent only ~4% of the cells of the accessory gland, their contribution to the male seminal fluid is essential for sustaining the female post‐mating response. To better understand the function of the secondary cells, we investigated their molecular organization, particularly with respect to the intracellular membrane transport machinery. We determined that large vacuole‐like structures found in the secondary cells are trafficking hubs labeled by Rab6, 7, 11 and 19. Furthermore, these organelles require Rab6 for their formation and many are essential in the process of creating the long‐term postmating behavior of females. In order to better serve the intracellular membrane and protein trafficking communities, we have created a searchable, online, open‐access imaging resource to display our complete findings regarding Rab localization in the accessory gland.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elodie Prince
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, Section of Biology, Sciences Faculty, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Benjamin Kroeger
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Dragan Gligorov
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, Section of Biology, Sciences Faculty, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Clive Wilson
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Suzanne Eaton
- Biotechnology Center of the TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.,Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
| | - François Karch
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, Section of Biology, Sciences Faculty, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Marko Brankatschk
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
| | - Robert K Maeda
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, Section of Biology, Sciences Faculty, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
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