Unknown,Transcriptomics,Genomics,Proteomics

Dataset Information

Small RNA-based silencing strategies for transposons in the process of invading Drosophila species

ABSTRACT: We investigated a pool of small RNAs derived from transposon Penelope to probe the evolution of small RNA pathways in response to the transposon challenge in natural (D. virilis) and experimentally induced (D. melanogaster) colonization processes. In both species, Penelope was predominantly targeted by endo-siRNAs rather than by piRNAs. Although we observed correlations between Penelope transcription and dysgenesis, we could not correlate differences in maternally deposited Penelope piRNAs with the sterility of progeny. Instead, we found that strains, which produced dysgenic progeny, differed in their production of piRNAs from clusters in sub-telomeric regions, possibly indicating that changes in the overall piRNA repertoire underlie dysgenesis. Considered together, our data reveal unexpected plasticity in small RNA pathways in germ cells, both in the character of their responses to invading transposons and in the piRNA clusters that define their ability to respond to mobile elements. Examination of total small RNA in 0-2h embryos, testes, ovaries and carcasses of several D. virilis strains and their hybrids; total small RNA and Ago2, Piwi, Aub and Ago3-associated small RNA in testes and ovaries of D. melanogaster.

ORGANISM(S): Drosophila melanogaster

SUBMITTER: Nikolay Rozhkov

PROVIDER: E-GEOD-22067 | biostudies-arrayexpress |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-arrayexpress

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Publications

Small RNA-based silencing strategies for transposons in the process of invading Drosophila species.

Rozhkov Nikolay V NV Aravin Alexei A AA Zelentsova Elena S ES Schostak Natalia G NG Sachidanandam Ravi R McCombie W Richard WR Hannon Gregory J GJ Evgen'ev Michael B MB

RNA (New York, N.Y.) 20100625 8

Colonization of a host by an active transposon can increase mutation rates or cause sterility, a phenotype termed hybrid dysgenesis. As an example, intercrosses of certain Drosophila virilis strains can produce dysgenic progeny. The Penelope element is present only in a subset of laboratory strains and has been implicated as a causative agent of the dysgenic phenotype. We have also introduced Penelope into Drosophila melanogaster, which are otherwise naive to the element. We have taken advantage ...[more]

PMID: 20581131

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Project description:Although small RNAs efficiently control transposition activity of most transposons in the host genome, such immune system is not always applicable against new transposon's invasions. Here we explored a possibility to introduce potentially mobile copy of the Penelope retroelement previously implicated in hybrid dysgenesis syndrome in Drosophila virilis into the genomes of two distant Drosophila species. The consequences of such introduction were monitored at different phases after experimental colonization as well as in D. virilis species which is apparently in the process of ongoing Penelope invasion. We investigated the expression of Penelope and biogenesis of Penelope-derived small RNAs in D. virilis and D. melanogaster strains originally lacking active copies of this element after experimental Penelope invasion. These strains were transformed by constructs containing intact Penelope copies. We show that immediately after transformation, which imitates the first stage of retroelement invasion, Penelope undergoes transposition predominantly in somatic tissues, and may produce siRNAs that are apparently unable to completely silence its activity. However, at the later stages of colonization Penelope copies may jump into one of the piRNA-clusters, which results in production of homologous piRNAs that are maternally deposited and can silence euchromatic transcriptionally active copies of Penelope in trans and, hence, prevent further amplification of the invader in the host genome. Intact Penelope copies and different classes of Penelope-derived small RNAs were found in most geographical strains of D. virilis collected throughout the world. Importantly, all strains of this species containing full-length Penelope tested do not produce gonadal sterility in dysgenic crosses and, hence, exhibit neutral cytotype. In order to understand whether RNA interference mechanism able to target Penelope operates in related species of the virilis group we correlated the presence of full-length and potentially active Penelope with the occurrence of piRNAs homologous to this TE in the ovaries of species comprising the group. It was demonstrated, that Penelope-derived piRNAs are present in all virilis group species containing full-length but transcriptionally silent copies of this element that probably represent the remnants of its previous invasions taking place in the course of the virilis species divergent evolution. piRNA size profile (23-29nt) was examined in D. melanogaster strains, where Penelope-piRNAs are detected by Northern blot

Dataset Information

Small RNA-based silencing strategies for transposons in the process of invading Drosophila species

Publications

Small RNA-based silencing strategies for transposons in the process of invading Drosophila species.

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