Sy VT, Boone EC, Xiao H, Vierling MM, Schmitz SF, Ung Q, Trawick SS, Hammond TM, Shiu PKT. A DEAD-box RNA helicase mediates meiotic silencing by unpaired DNA.
G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2023;
13:jkad083. [PMID:
37052947 PMCID:
PMC10411587 DOI:
10.1093/g3journal/jkad083]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Revised: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
During the sexual phase of Neurospora crassa, unpaired genes are subject to a silencing mechanism known as meiotic silencing by unpaired DNA (MSUD). MSUD targets the transcripts of an unpaired gene and utilizes typical RNA interference factors for its process. Using a reverse genetic screen, we have identified a meiotic silencing gene called sad-9, which encodes a DEAD-box RNA helicase. While not essential for vegetative growth, SAD-9 plays a crucial role in both sexual development and MSUD. Our results suggest that SAD-9, with the help of the SAD-2 scaffold protein, recruits the SMS-2 Argonaute to the perinuclear region, the center of MSUD activity.
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