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Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Evan Kara, Aidan McCambridge, Megan Proffer, Carol Dilts, Brooke Pumnea, John Eshak, Korey A. A. Smith, Isaac Fielder, Dominique A. A. Doyle, Bianca M. M. Ortega, Yousif Mukatash, Noor Malik, Ammaar R. R. Mohammed, Deep Govani, Matthew G. G. Niepielko, Ming Gao
Summary: In this study, the in vivo functions of key motifs/domains of Me31B were investigated using the Drosophila germline as a model. Mutations in different domains were generated using CRISPR and the effects on various processes of germline development were characterized. The results provide insights into the working mechanism of Me31B and its importance in germline regulation.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Katarzyna Niescierowicz, Leszek Pryszcz, Cristina Navarrete, Eugeniusz Tralle, Agata Sulej, Karim Abu Nahia, Marta Elzbieta Kasprzyk, Katarzyna Misztal, Abhishek Pateria, Adrianna Pakula, Matthias Bochtler, Cecilia Winata
Summary: Adenosine deaminases (ADARs) play important roles in early zebrafish development, affecting antero-posterior and dorso-ventral patterning. Genome-wide editing discovery reveals widespread A-to-I editing in zebrafish transcripts, with multiple editing sites found in transcripts involved in embryonic patterning. Adar also regulates the innate immune response in zebrafish.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Biology
Ana P. Dorador, Martina Dalikova, Stefan Cerbin, Chris M. Stillman, Molly G. Zych, R. Scott Hawley, Danny E. Miller, David A. Ray, Sergei Y. Funikov, Michael B. Evgen'ev, Justin P. Blumenstiel
Summary: Paramutation is an epigenetic phenomenon where one allele triggers the conversion of another allele. In this study, a novel system of epigenetic conversion in Drosophila virilis is described, which shows paramutation-like behavior at the telomere, mediated by piRNAs. This system provides new insights into the mechanisms of paramutation.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Mostafa F. ElMaghraby, Laszlo Tirian, Kirsten-Andre Senti, Katharina Meixner, Julius Brennecke
Summary: Researchers have established a versatile toolkit focused on piRNA biology, combining germline transgenic RNAi, GFP marker lines for key proteins of the piRNA pathway, and reporter transgenes to establish genetic hierarchies. By comparing constitutive, pan-germline RNAi with stage-specific RNAi, researchers can investigate the role of genes essential for germline cell survival in piRNA-dependent and independent transposon silencing.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
David W. J. McQuarrie, Adam M. Read, Frannie H. S. Stephens, Alberto Civetta, Matthias Soller
Summary: Nuclear pore proteins (Nups) have been identified as genes involved in speciation from hybrid incompatibility in Drosophila. Positive selection has been observed in the evolution of Nup96 and Nup160 coding sequences, suggesting their role in nucleoporin evolution. The functionality of channel protein Nup54 is crucial for the female post-mating response, and rapid evolution in its core promoter region indicates the importance of transcriptional regulatory elements in speciation. Rapid accumulation of insertions/deletions (indels) is also observed in the promoters of Nup58 and Nup62, suggesting an evolutionary mechanism driven by indel accumulation in core Nup promoters.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Yuxuan Lin, Ritsuko Suyama, Shinichi Kawaguchi, Taichiro Iki, Toshie Kai
Summary: This study provides a detailed analysis of the molecular mechanism of the Tdrd protein Tej in piRNA biogenesis. The results demonstrate that Tej plays a core role in recruiting Vas and Spn-E into nuage, and modulating the mobility of nuage components to engage in further processing of piRNA precursors.
JOURNAL OF CELL BIOLOGY
(2023)
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Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Shinya Ikeda, Koki Tanaka, Reiko Ohtani, Akifumi Kanda, Yusuke Sotomaru, Tomohiro Kono, Yayoi Obata
Summary: In this study, the effects of Asz1 deletion on the gonocyte transcriptome were analyzed, revealing that the loss of Asz1 leads to upregulation of retrotransposons and non-annotated transcript variants, as well as incomplete DNA methylation on retrotransposons. The impaired nuclear localization of MIWI2 in Asz1-null gonocytes suggests a role for Asz1 in repressing retrotransposons and retrotransposon-driven aberrant chimeric transcripts through the piRNA pathway.
JOURNAL OF REPRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Takashi Fukaya
Summary: Expression of gap and pair-rule genes is crucial for body segmentation in Drosophila embryogenesis, and the length of the transcription period plays a major role in determining spatial patterning of gene expression in early embryos. Enhancer interference can influence transcriptional activation and impact the refinement of gene expression patterns during animal development.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Katharine Goodwin, Jacob M. Jaslove, Hirotaka Tao, Min Zhu, Sevan Hopyan, Celeste M. Nelson
Summary: By using single-cell RNA-sequencing of embryonic mouse lungs, this study reveals that the pulmonary mesenchyme contains a continuum of cell identities, but no transcriptionally distinct progenitors. Transcriptional variability is correlated with spatially distinct sub-epithelial and sub-mesothelial mesenchymal compartments that are regulated by Wnt signaling. Live-imaging and tension-sensors show that sub-epithelial mesenchyme contributes to airway smooth muscle. Reconstruction of differentiation trajectories reveals early activation of cytoskeletal and Wnt signaling genes.
Article
Biology
Marzia Munafo, Victoria R. Lawless, Alessandro Passera, Serena MacMillan, Susanne Bornelov, Irmgard U. Haussmann, Matthias Soller, Gregory J. Hannon, Benjamin Czech
Summary: The nuclear pore complex (NPC) functions as a gateway between the nucleus and cytoplasm for exchange of macromolecular cargo. Specific nucleoporins within the NPC, such as Nup54 and Nup58, have essential roles in transposon silencing via the piRNA pathway in the Drosophila ovary, suggesting tissue-specific functions for certain NPC subunits. This study demonstrates that genomic loci under selective pressure can exploit NPC subunits to facilitate their expression, indicating additional functions beyond nuclear/cytoplasmic exchange for the NPC.
Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Nicholas T. Ingolia
Summary: In Cell Chemical Biology, Naineni et al. (2021) describe the structure of a synthetic analog binding to initiation factor eIF4A and RNA, providing insight into a potential druggable site and highlighting novel interactions.
Article
Biology
Amna Asif-Laidin, Karine Casier, Zoheir Ziriat, Antoine Boivin, Elise Viode, Valerie Delmarre, Stephane Ronsseray, Clement Carre, Laure Teysset
Summary: In gonads, the activity of transposable elements (TEs) is repressed by PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) synthesized by piRNA clusters. Horizontal transfer (HT) of TEs can threaten genome integrity, but naive genomes can eventually produce new piRNAs to target the invaders. The emergence of these new piRNAs is linked to piRNA cluster transcription and depends on genetic and epigenetic properties.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Valerie Betting, Joep Joosten, Rebecca Halbach, Melissa Thaler, Pascal Miesen, Ronald P. Van Rij
Summary: PIWI-interacting (pi)RNAs are small RNAs crucial for defense against transposable elements in germline tissues, and in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, they also contribute to gene regulation in somatic tissues. The highly abundant endogenous piRNA propiR1 associates with Piwi4 and Piwi5, leading to target silencing through base-pairing and degradation of maternally provided lncRNAs like lnc027353. This regulatory network involving propiR1 and its lncRNA target is conserved in closely related mosquito species, highlighting its importance in mosquito development.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Litong Yao, Qian Hao, Mozhi Wang, Yuhai Chen, Hongyi Cao, Qiang Zhang, Keda Yu, Yizhou Jiang, Zhiming Shao, Xiang Zhou, Yingying Xu
Summary: In this study, researchers identified KLHL29 as a crucial tumor suppressor that regulates chemosensitivity in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Low levels of KLHL29 were associated with unfavorable prognoses. Mechanistically, KLHL29 suppressed TNBC growth by degrading DDX3X and inhibiting cell cycle progression. The combination of DDX3X inhibitor RK33 and platinum-based chemotherapy showed promising results in suppressing TNBC.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Filip Wierzbicki, Robert Kofler, Sarah Signor
Summary: Research shows that piRNA clusters exhibit significant variation within Drosophila species, with 70%-80% of clusters conserved within species but little similarity between closely related species. The evolution of clusters is mainly driven by insertions and deletions of transposable elements (TEs), with a rapid rate of variation.