Differentially expressed small RNAs in Arabidopsis galls formed by Meloidogyne javanica: a functional role for miR390 and its TAS3-derived tasiRNAs

Root-knot nematodes (RKNs) induce inside the vascular cylinder the giant cells (GCs) embedded in the galls. The distinctive gene repression in early-developing GCs could be facilitated by small RNAs (sRNA) such as miRNAs, and/or epigenetic mechanisms mediated by 24nt-sRNAs, rasiRNAs and 21-22nt-sRNAs. Therefore, the sRNA-population together with the role of the miR390/TAS3/ARFs module were studied during early gall/GC formation. Three sRNA libraries from 3-d-post-inoculation (dpi) galls induced by Meloidogyne javanica in Arabidopsis and three from uninfected root segments were sequenced following Illumina-Solexa technology. pMIR390a::GUS and pTAS3::GUS lines were assayed for nematode-dependent promoter activation. A sensor line indicative of TAS3-derived tasiRNAs binding to the ARF3 sequence (pARF3:ARF3-GUS) together with a tasiRNA-resistant ARF3 line (pARF3:ARF3m-GUS) were used for functional analysis. The sRNA population showed significant differences between galls and controls, with high validation rate and correspondence with their target expression: 21-nt sRNAs corresponding mainly to miRNAs were downregulated, whilst 24-nt-sRNAs from the rasiRNA family were mostly upregulated in galls. The promoters of MIR390a and TAS3, active in galls, and the pARF3:ARF3-GUS line, indicated a role of TAS3-derived-tasiRNAs in galls. The regulatory module miR390/TAS3 is necessary for proper gall formation possibly through auxin-responsive factors, and the abundance of 24-nt sRNAs (mostly rasiRNAs) constitutes a gall hallmark.

Abrogation of RUNX1 gene expression in de novo myelodysplastic syndrome with t(4;21)(q21;q22)

The disruption of RUNX1 function is one of the main mechanisms of disease observed in hematopoietic malignancies and the description of novel genetic events that lead to a RUNX1 loss of function has been accelerated with the development of genomic technologies. Here we describe the molecular characterization of a new t(4;21)(q21;q22) in a de novo myelodysplastic syndrome that resulted in the deletion of the RUNX1 gene. We demonstrated by quantitative real-time RT-PCR an almost complete depletion of the expression of the RUNX1 gene in our t(4;21) case compared with CD34(+) cells that was independent of mutation or DNA methylation. More importantly, we explored and confirmed the possibility that this abrogation also prevented transactivation of RUNX1 target genes, perhaps confirming the genetic origin of the thrombocytopenia and the myelodysplastic features observed in our patient, and certainly mimicking what has been observed in the presence of the RUNX1/ETO fusion protein.