ABSTRACT: We precipitated dsRNA using the monoclonal J2 antibody and deep-sequenced the enriched samples from testis of juvenile dicer knock-out mice, age matched controls and adult animals. The dsRNA transcriptome is significantly less complex in juvenile mice as compared to adult controls and, possibly as a consequence, the knock-out of Dicer had only a minor effect of the total number of transcribed regions associated with dsRNA. The genes that potentially generate dsRNA are significantly expressed in isolated sperm cells with particular enrichment in pachytene spermatocytes.
Project description:Background. Juvenile hormone (JH) has been demonstrated to control adult lifespan in a number of non-model insects where surgical removal of the corpora allata eliminates the hormone’s source. In contrast, little is known about how juvenile hormone affects adult Drosophila melanogaster. Previous work suggests that insulin signaling may modulate Drosophila aging in part through its impact on juvenile hormone titer, but no data yet addresses whether reduction of juvenile hormone is sufficient to control Drosophila life span. Here we adapt a recent genetic approach to knock out the corpora allata in adult Drosophila melanogaster and characterize adult life history phenotypes produced by reduction of juvenile hormone. With this system we test potential explanations for how juvenile hormone modulates aging. Conclusions. Reduced juvenile hormone alone is sufficient to extend lifespan of Drosophila melanogaster. Reduced juvenile hormone limits reproduction by inhibiting the production of yolked eggs, and this may arise because juvenile hormone is required for the post-eclosion development of vitellogenin-producing adult fat body. Our data do not support a mechanism for juvenile hormone control of longevity simply based on reducing the physiological costs of reproductive. Nor does the longevity benefit appear to function through mechanisms by which dietary restriction extends longevity. We identify transcripts that change in response to juvenile hormone independent of reproductive state and suggest these represent somatically expressed genes that could modulate how juvenile hormone controls persistence and longevity.
Project description:Although many in vitro studies have helped us understand how Dicer-2 is able to discriminate between different dsRNA substrate termini, much less is known about how this translates to the in vivo recognition of viral dsRNA. Indeed, Dicer-2 associates with several dsRNA-binding proteins (dsRBPs), which can modify its specificity for a substrate, however it remains unknown how Dicer-2 is able to recognize the protected termini of viral dsRNAs. Therefore, in order to study how the ribonucleoprotein network of Dicer-2 impacts antiviral immunity, we used an IP-MS approach to identify interactants of several fly lines expressing different versions of GFP:Dicer-2. By combining the global analysis of the Dicer-2 interactome with different line-specific analyses, we were able to both obtain a global overview of the partners of Dicer-2 in vivo, and study how this interactome was modulated by different factors such as the infection and/or the presence of different point mutations on the helicase or RNase III domains of GFP:Dicer-2. This allowed the identification of several new Dicer-2 interactants as well as new pro- and antiviral factors that had an impact on DCV infection. In addition, this work provides a resource composed of several candidates, available to the scientific community that can now be investigated further to gain a better understanding of the proteins involved in Dicer-2-mediated antiviral RNAi.
Project description:We have analyzed the transcript expression levels in Dicer heterozygous and Dicer knock-out embryonic stem (ES) cells in order to identify which transcripts are regulated by RNAi pathway in mouse ES cells. Keywords: Cell type comparison of cell line with or without knock-out
Project description:We used Illumina Small RNA and RNA-Seq kits to prepare both small RNA and RNA-Seq libraries from total RNA isolated from either leptotenze/zygotene or pachytene spermatocytes purified from either Dgcr8 or Dicer germline conditional knockout mice. Conditional knockout mice were generated by using a Ddx4 promoter to drive cre excision of either Dgcr8 or Dicer at embryonic day 18. Mixed leptotene/zygotene or pachytene spermatocytes were then isolated from the testis of adult conditional knockout mice, along with paired WT littermates as a control. RNA was isolated from these spermatocytes using Trizol. Small RNA or RNA-Seq libraries were then prepped using Illumina's sequencing library preparation kits.
Project description:Background. Juvenile hormone (JH) has been demonstrated to control adult lifespan in a number of non-model insects where surgical removal of the corpora allata eliminates the source of hormone. In contrast, little is known about how juvenile hormone affects adult Drosophila melanogaster. Previous work suggests that insulin signaling may modulate Drosophila aging in part through its impact on juvenile hormone titer, but no data yet addresses whether reduction of juvenile hormone is sufficient to control Drosophila life span. Here we adapt a recent genetic approach to knock out the corpora allata in adult Drosophila melanogaster and characterize adult life history phenotypes produced by reduction of juvenile hormone. With this system we test potential explanations for how juvenile hormone modulates aging. Conclusions. Reduced juvenile hormone alone is sufficient to extend lifespan of Drosophila melanogaster. Reduced juvenile hormone limits reproduction by inhibiting the production of yolked eggs, and this may arise because juvenile hormone is required for the post-eclosion development of vitellogenin-producing adult fat body. Our data do not support a mechanism for juvenile hormone control of longevity simply based on reducing the physiological costs of reproductive. Nor does the longevity benefit appear to function through mechanisms by which dietary restriction extends longevity. We identify transcripts that change in response to juvenile hormone independent of reproductive state and suggest these represent somatically expressed genes that could modulate how juvenile hormone controls persistence and longevity. Four genotypes were analyzed. They are CA knockout (CAKO), wildtype (wDah/w1118 ), CAKO with OvoD1 mutation and control (wDah/w1118) with OvoD1 mutation. Three biological replicates for each genotype.
Project description:In the fetal mouse testis, PIWI Interacting RNAs (piRNAs) guide PIWI proteins to silence transposons, but after birth, most post-pubertal pachytene piRNAs map to genome uniquely and are thought to regulate genes required for male fertility. In human males, the developmental classes, precise genomic origins, and transcriptional regulation of post-natal piRNAs remain undefined. Here, we demarcate the genes and transcripts that produce post-natal piRNAs in human juvenile and adult testes. As in mouse, A‑MYB in humans drives transcription of both pachytene piRNA precursor transcripts and the mRNAs encoding piRNA biogenesis factors. Although human piRNA genes are syntenic to those in other placental mammals, their sequences are poorly conserved. In fact, pachytene piRNA loci are rapidly diverging even among modern humans. Our findings suggest that during mammalian evolution, pachytene piRNA genes are under fewer selective constraints. We speculate that pachytene piRNA diversity may provide a hitherto unrecognized driver of reproductive isolation.
Project description:DICER has a well-characterized role in the processing of microRNAs (miRNAs) and small interfering RNAs (siRNA) that are important for post-transcriptional gene regulation. Emerging evidence suggests that DICER also has several non-canonical functions beyond miRNA/siRNA biogenesis, for example in transcriptional gene silencing at the chromatin level, as well as in RNA degradation and maintenance of genomic integrity. We have shown that the function of DICER in germ cells is essential for normal spermatogenesis; male mice lacking DICER in postnatal male germ cells are infertile due to severe defects in haploid differentiation. To better understand the function of DICER in male germ cells, we immunoprecipitated DICER from juvenile mouse testes and performed mass spectrometric analysis to identify DICER-interacting proteins.
Project description:A hallmark of RNA silencing is a class of ~22 nt RNAs which are processed from dsRNA precursor by Dicer. Accurate processing by Dicer is critical for the functionality of microRNAs (miRNAs). According to the current model, Dicer measures the length by anchoring the 3' overhang of the dsRNA terminus. Here we find that human Dicer binds to the 5' end of RNA and utilizes the 5' end as an additional reference point for cleavage site selection (5' counting rule). We further identify a novel motif (5'-pocket) in Dicer, which recognizes the 5' end of RNA. By analyzing miRNA population from 5'-pocket mutant Dicer expressing Dicer-null mES, we provide that the 5' pocket is significant for Dicer processing in vivo.
Project description:Dicer is a central enzymatic player in RNA interference (RNAi) pathways that acts to regulate gene expression in nearly all eukaryotes. Although the cytoplasmic function of Dicer is well documented in mammals, there is little known about any possible nuclear function. Here we show that Dicer is present in both the nucleus and cytoplasm, but that its nuclear levels are tightly regulated. In its nuclear manifestation Dicer interacts with RNA polymerase II (Pol II) at actively-transcribed gene loci. Loss of Dicer causes the appearance of endogenous dsRNA, leading to induction of the interferon response pathway and consequent cell death. Our results suggest that Pol II-associated Dicer restricts endogenous dsRNA formation from overlapping non-coding RNA transcription units. Failure to do so has catastrophic effects on cell function. Taken together, we present here a micro (mi)RNA independent role for human nuclear Dicer. DICER ChIP-seq profile in wt 293 HEK cells, and dsRNA-seq profile in wt and DICER-depleted 293 HEK cells
Project description:Background: RNA silencing pathways play critical roles in gene regulation, virus infection, and transposon control. RNA interference (RNAi) is mediated by small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), which are liberated from double stranded (ds) RNA precursors by Dicer and direct the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC) to target transcripts. Recent efforts have uncovered important principles governing small RNA (smRNA) sorting into RISC, yet mechanisms defining substrate selection by Dicer proteins remain uncharacterized. Methodology: To better characterize Dicer-2 substrates in Drosophila, we examined the antiviral RNAi response, which generates virus-derived siRNAs from viral RNA. Using high-throughput sequencing, we found that diverse viruses were uniquely targeted; substrates included dsRNA replication intermediates and intramolecular RNA stem loops. smRNA distribution patterns from viral and synthetic dsRNA precursors were highly reproducible, and machine learning techniques identified characteristics of precursor molecules and smRNA duplexes important in determining relative smRNA abundance. Significance: To our knowledge, this study provides the first description of the rules governing Dicer-2 substrate selection, which has important implications for exogenous RNA silencing technologies and the development of smRNA-based antiviral therapeutics. virus-derived siRNA (vsiRNA) expression comparison between control and 4 different virus-infected cells in control as well as 5 different RNAi pathway protein knock-downs in Drosophila dl1 cells