Expression data from mir-35-41(nDf50) mutant embryos grown at 20 degrees, compared to wild type

ABSTRACT: Gene expression in early animal embryogenesis is in large part controlled post-transcriptionally. Maternally-contributed microRNAs may therefore play important roles in early development. We have elucidated a major biological role of the nematode mir-35 family of maternally-contributed, essential microRNAs. We show that this microRNA family regulates the sex determination pathway at multiple levels, acting both upstream and downstream of her-1 to prevent aberrantly activated male developmental programs in hermaphrodite embryos. The predicted target genes that act downstream of the mir-35 family in this process, sup-26 and nhl-2, both encode RNA binding proteins, thus delineating a previously unknown post-transcriptional regulatory subnetwork within the well-studied sex determination pathway of C. elegans. Repression of nhl-2 by the mir-35 family is not only required for proper sex determination but also for viability, showing that a single microRNA target site can be essential. Since sex determination in C. elegans requires zygotic gene expression to read the sex chromosome karyotype, early embryos must remain gender-naïve; our findings show that the mir-35 family microRNAs act in the early embryo to function as a developmental timer that preserves naïveté and prevents premature deleterious developmental decisions. The mir-35 family of microRNAs is essential for development. The mir-35-41(nDf50) allele deleted 7 of 8 mir-35 family members, and presents a hypomorphic phenotype in which embryonic lethality is temperature sensitive. To characterize the molecular phenotype associated with loss of mir-35 family function, we profiled gene expression in mir-35-41(nDf50) mutant embryos at both permissive (20) and restrictive (25) temperatures. (Refer to A microRNA family exerts maternal control on sex determination in C. elegans)

ORGANISM(S): Caenorhabditis elegans

PROVIDER: GSE94701 | GEO | 2017/02/09

SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA373802

REPOSITORIES: GEO