M6A controls neurogenesis and sex determination in Drosophila via its nuclear reader protein YT521-B
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT:
ORGANISM(S): Drosophila melanogaster
PROVIDER: GSE79297 | GEO | 2016/12/07
SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA315419
REPOSITORIES: GEO
Similar Datasets
Project description:N6-methyladenosine RNA (m6A) is the most abundant internal mRNA modification in mammals. While its role in the regulation of posttranscriptional gene expression is beginning to be unveiled, its function during development of complex organisms is poorly understood. Here, we identify Spenito as a novel member of the methyltransferase complex and show that m6A in Drosophila is necessary for proper synaptic growth, and in regulation of early steps of pre-mRNA splicing. Splicing of Sex-lethal and of its downstream targets are defective in animals lacking m6A, revealing also important roles in sex determination and dosage compensation. Finally, we implicate the nuclear m6A reader protein, YT521-B, as a crucial effector of m6A modifications in vivo. Altogether, our work provides important novel insights into m6A biology through identification and characterization of both m6A-writing and -reading proteins in Drosophila and their effects on splicing, neurogenesis and sex-determination within the context of the whole animal.
2016-12-07 | GSE79289 | GEO
Project description:N6-methyladenosine RNA (m6A) is the most abundant internal mRNA modification in mammals. While its role in the regulation of posttranscriptional gene expression is beginning to be unveiled, its function during development of complex organisms is poorly understood. Here, we identify Spenito as a novel member of the methyltransferase complex and show that m6A in Drosophila is necessary for proper synaptic growth, and in regulation of early steps of pre-mRNA splicing. Splicing of Sex-lethal and of its downstream targets are defective in animals lacking m6A, revealing also important roles in sex determination and dosage compensation. Finally, we implicate the nuclear m6A reader protein, YT521-B, as a crucial effector of m6A modifications in vivo. Altogether, our work provides important novel insights into m6A biology through identification and characterization of both m6A-writing and -reading proteins in Drosophila and their effects on splicing, neurogenesis and sex-determination within the context of the whole animal.
2016-12-07 | GSE79296 | GEO
Project description:N6-methyladenosine RNA (m6A) is the most abundant internal mRNA modification in mammals. While its role in the regulation of posttranscriptional gene expression is beginning to be unveiled, its function during development of complex organisms is poorly understood. Here, we identify Spenito as a novel member of the methyltransferase complex and show that m6A in Drosophila is necessary for proper synaptic growth, and in regulation of early steps of pre-mRNA splicing. Splicing of Sex-lethal and of its downstream targets are defective in animals lacking m6A, revealing also important roles in sex determination and dosage compensation. Finally, we implicate the nuclear m6A reader protein, YT521-B, as a crucial effector of m6A modifications in vivo. Altogether, our work provides important novel insights into m6A biology through identification and characterization of both m6A-writing and -reading proteins in Drosophila and their effects on splicing, neurogenesis and sex-determination within the context of the whole animal.
2016-12-07 | GSE79295 | GEO
Project description:N6-methyladenosine RNA (m6A) is the most abundant internal mRNA modification in mammals. While its role in the regulation of posttranscriptional gene expression is beginning to be unveiled, its function during development of complex organisms is poorly understood. Here, we identify Spenito as a novel member of the methyltransferase complex and show that m6A in Drosophila is necessary for proper synaptic growth, and in regulation of early steps of pre-mRNA splicing. Splicing of Sex-lethal and of its downstream targets are defective in animals lacking m6A, revealing also important roles in sex determination and dosage compensation. Finally, we implicate the nuclear m6A reader protein, YT521-B, as a crucial effector of m6A modifications in vivo. Altogether, our work provides important novel insights into m6A biology through identification and characterization of both m6A-writing and -reading proteins in Drosophila and their effects on splicing, neurogenesis and sex-determination within the context of the whole animal.
2016-12-07 | GSE86276 | GEO
Project description:m6A controls neurogenesis and sex determination in Drosophila via its nuclear reader protein YT521-B
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Project description:Establishment of germline sexual identity is critical for production of male and female germline stem cells, as well as sperm versus eggs. Here we identify PHD Finger Protein 7 (PHF7) as an important factor for male germline sexual identity in Drosophila. PHF7 exhibits male-specific expression in early germ cells, germline stem cells, and spermatogonia. It is important for germline stem cell maintenance and gametogenesis in males, whereas ectopic expression in female germ cells ablates the germline. Strikingly, expression of PHF7 promotes spermatogenesis in XX germ cells when they are present in a male soma. PHF7 homologs are also specifically expressed in the mammalian testis, and human PHF7 rescues Drosophila Phf7 mutants. PHF7 associates with chromatin, and both the human and fly proteins bind histone H3 N-terminal tails with a preference for dimethyl lysine 4 (H3K4me2). We propose that PHF7 acts as a conserved epigenetic "reader" that activates the male germline sexual program.
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Project description:N6-methyladenosine (m6A) has recently emerged as a widespread and conserved RNA modification that modulates messenger RNA (mRNA) processing and activity. As most m6A studies have been conducted in cultured cells, we established Drosophila as a model system that combines molecular and genomic analyses of m6A with investigations of organismal biology. We first apply miCLIP sequencing to map m6A modifications at single-nucleotide resolution during Drosophila embryogenesis. We next characterize Drosophila components of the m6A "writer" methyltransferase complex [MTC factors, METTL3/IME4, METTL14, FL(2)D and Nito], and characterize m6A-binding properties of the YTH domain-containing proteins, YT521-B and CG6422. We complement this by generating a collection of mutants in m6A writer and reader components. While Drosophila orthologs of mammalian MTC factors that have additional roles in splicing are lethal, our mutants in METTL and YTH factors are viable but present specific developmental and behavioral defects. We note that several mammalian m6A factors were originally identified as Drosophila regulators of Sxl splicing, which generates the master determinant of female identity. While our mutants in dedicated writer and reader machinery are not required to accumulate Sxl protein in the ovary, maternal loss of m6A writers and readers collaborates with reduction of Sxl to induce female lethality. Our data indicate Sxl is directly regulated by the m6A pathway, since miCLIP data show Sxl is a substantial target of intronic m6A in early embryos, in addition to bearing exonic m6A. Consistent with this, female-specific Sxl splicing is defective in m6A pathway mutants. YT521-B appears to be the major effector of m6A for Sxl regulation, as it shows much stronger genetic interactions with Sxl than CG6422 and YT521-B overexpression can induce female-specific Sxl splicing. Overall, our transcriptomic and genetic toolkit for studying the m6A pathway in Drosophila reveals a major biological utilization in establishing sex-specific splicing.
2017-04-22 | GSE97004 | GEO
Project description:Sex determination in Drosophila is commonly thought to be a cell-autonomous process, where each cell decides its own sexual fate based on its sex chromosome constitution (XX versus XY). This is in contrast to sex determination in mammals, which largely acts nonautonomously through cell-cell signaling. Here we examine how sexual dimorphism is created in the Drosophila gonad by investigating the formation of the pigment cell precursors, a male-specific cell type in the embryonic gonad. Surprisingly, we find that sex determination in the pigment cell precursors, as well as the male-specific somatic gonadal precursors, is non-cell autonomous. Male-specific expression of Wnt2 within the somatic gonad triggers pigment cell precursor formation from surrounding cells. Our results indicate that nonautonomous sex determination is important for creating sexual dimorphism in the Drosophila gonad, similar to the manner in which sex-specific gonad formation is controlled in mammals.
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Project description:N 6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most prevalent posttranscriptional modification on RNA. NK cells are the predominant innate lymphoid cells that mediate antiviral and antitumor immunity. However, whether and how m6A modifications affect NK cell immunity remain unknown. Here, we discover that YTHDF2, a well-known m6A reader, is upregulated in NK cells upon activation by cytokines, tumors, and cytomegalovirus infection. Ythdf2 deficiency in NK cells impairs NK cell antitumor and antiviral activity in vivo. YTHDF2 maintains NK cell homeostasis and terminal maturation, correlating with modulating NK cell trafficking and regulating Eomes, respectively. YTHDF2 promotes NK cell effector function and is required for IL-15-mediated NK cell survival and proliferation by forming a STAT5-YTHDF2 positive feedback loop. Transcriptome-wide screening identifies Tardbp to be involved in cell proliferation or survival as a YTHDF2-binding target in NK cells. Collectively, we elucidate the biological roles of m6A modifications in NK cells and highlight a new direction to harness NK cell antitumor immunity.
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Project description:The N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification is the most prevalent internal RNA modification in eukaryotes. The majority of m6A sites are found in the last exon and 3' UTRs. Here we show that the nuclear m6A reader YTHDC1 is essential for embryo viability and germline development in mouse. Specifically, YTHDC1 is required for spermatogonial development in males and for oocyte growth and maturation in females; Ythdc1-deficient oocytes are blocked at the primary follicle stage. Strikingly, loss of YTHDC1 leads to extensive alternative polyadenylation in oocytes, altering 3' UTR length. Furthermore, YTHDC1 deficiency causes massive alternative splicing defects in oocytes. The majority of splicing defects in mutant oocytes are rescued by introducing wild-type, but not m6A-binding-deficient, YTHDC1. YTHDC1 is associated with the pre-mRNA 3' end processing factors CPSF6, SRSF3, and SRSF7. Thus, YTHDC1 plays a critical role in processing of pre-mRNA transcripts in the oocyte nucleus and may have similar non-redundant roles throughout fetal development.
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