Project description:Regulation of gene expression by small RNAs (∼20–30 nucleotides in length) plays an essential role in developmental pathways and defense responses against genomic parasites in eukaryotes. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) commonly direct the inactivation of cognate sequences through a variety of mechanisms, including RNA degradation, translation inhibition, and transcriptional repression. Recent studies have provided considerable insight into the biogenesis and the mode of action of miRNAs and siRNAs. However, relatively little is known about mechanisms of quality control and small RNA decay in RNA interference (RNAi) pathways. Here we show that deletion of MUT68, encoding a terminal nucleotidyltransferase in the alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, results in elevated miRNA and siRNA levels. We found that MUT68 plays a role in the untemplated uridylation of the 3′ ends of small RNAs in vivo and stimulates their degradation by the RRP6 exosome subunit in vitro. Moreover, RRP6 depletion also leads to accumulation of small RNAs in vivo. We propose that MUT68 and RRP6 cooperate in the degradation of mature miRNAs and siRNAs, as a quality control mechanism to eliminate dysfunctional or damaged small RNA molecules. Keywords: small RNA
Project description:Small RNAs (21-24 nt) are pivotal regulators of gene expression that guide both transcriptional and post-transcriptional silencing mechanisms in diverse eukaryotes, including most if not all plants. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) and short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) are the two major types, both of which have a demonstrated and important role in plant development, stress responses and pathogen resistance. In this work, we used a deep sequencing approach (Sequencing-By-Synthesis, or SBS) to develop sequence resources of small RNAs from cultures of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (in control, phosphate starvation and sulphate starvation conditions). The high depth of the resulting datasets enabled us to examine in detail critical small RNA features as size distribution, tissue-specific regulation and sequence conservation between different organs in this species. We also developed database resources and a dedicated website (http://smallrna.udel.edu/) with computational tools for allowing other users to identify new miRNAs or siRNAs involved in specific regulatory pathways, verify the degree of conservation of these sequences in other plant species and map small RNAs on genes or larger regions of the genome under study.
Project description:Small RNAs (21-24 nt) are pivotal regulators of gene expression that guide both transcriptional and post-transcriptional silencing mechanisms in diverse eukaryotes, including most if not all plants. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) and short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) are the two major types, both of which have a demonstrated and important role in plant development, stress responses and pathogen resistance. In this work, we used a deep sequencing approach (Sequencing-By-Synthesis, or SBS) to develop sequence resources of small RNAs from cultures of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (in control, phosphate starvation and sulphate starvation conditions). The high depth of the resulting datasets enabled us to examine in detail critical small RNA features as size distribution, tissue-specific regulation and sequence conservation between different organs in this species. We also developed database resources and a dedicated website (http://smallrna.udel.edu/) with computational tools for allowing other users to identify new miRNAs or siRNAs involved in specific regulatory pathways, verify the degree of conservation of these sequences in other plant species and map small RNAs on genes or larger regions of the genome under study. Small RNA libraries were derived from cultures of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii in control, phosphate starvation and sulphate starvation conditions. Total RNA was isolated using the TriReagent (Molecular Research Center), and submitted to Illumina (Hayward, CA, http://www.illumina.com) for small RNA library construction using approaches described in (Lu et al., 2007) with minor modifications. The small RNA libraries were sequenced with the Sequencing-By-Synthesis (SBS) technology by Illumina. PERL scripts were designed to remove the adapter sequences and determine the abundance of each distinct small RNA. We thank Kan Nobuta and Gayathri Mahalingam for assistance with the computational methods.
Project description:RNA populations in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii Keywords: Highly parallel pyrosequencing Small RNAs were prepared from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii total extracts,ligated to a 3' adaptor and a 5' acceptor sequentially, and then RT-PCR amplified. PCR products were reamplified using a pair of 454 cloning primers and provided to 454 Life Sciences (Branford, CT) for sequencing. For technical details, see Tao Zhao, Guanglin Li, Shijun Mi, Shan Li, Gregory J. Hannon, Xiu-Jie Wang, and Yijun Qi. 2007. A Complex System of Small RNAs in the Unicellular Green Alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Genes & Development
Project description:endogenous small RNAs from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii strain J3(mt-) vegetative cells Keywords: High throughput 454 small RNA sequencing
Project description:Phosphorus (P) is an essential nutrient that is limiting in many environments. When P is scarce organisms employ strategies for conservation of internal stores, and to efficiently scavenge P from their external surroundings. In this study we investigated the acclimation response of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii to P deficiency, comparing the transcriptional profiles of P starved wild-type cells to the P replete condition. RNA was prepared from P-containing or P-deprived logarithmic growth phase cells and subjected to RNA-Seq analysis. During the 24 hours after the imposition of P starvation we observed that from the 407 significantly changing genes (> 2 fold change, corrected p-value < 0.05) in the wild-type 317 genes were up-regulated, in average 8.36-fold, and 90 genes were down-regulated by 3.43-fold, in average. Many of the upregulated genes encoded enzymes involved in specific responses to P starvation, including PHOX, encoding the major secreted alkaline phosphatase, and multiple putative, high-efficiency phosphate transporter genes. More general responses included the up-regulation of genes involved in photoprotective processes (LHCSR3, LHCSR1, LHCBM9, PTOX1) and genes involved in protein modification and degradation. Down-regulated mRNAs indicated an early stage of the reduction of chloroplast ribosomal proteins, which are considered to be a reservoir for P in the cell.
Project description:Phosphorus (P) is an essential nutrient that is limiting in many environments. When P is scarce organisms employ strategies for conservation of internal stores, and to efficiently scavenge P from their external surroundings. In this study we investigated the acclimation response of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii to P deficiency, comparing the transcriptional profiles of P starved wild-type cells to the P replete condition. RNA was prepared from P-containing or P-deprived logarithmic growth phase cells and subjected to RNA-Seq analysis. During the 24 hours after the imposition of P starvation we observed that from the 407 significantly changing genes (> 2 fold change, corrected p-value < 0.05) in the wild-type 317 genes were up-regulated, in average 8.36-fold, and 90 genes were down-regulated by 3.43-fold, in average. Many of the upregulated genes encoded enzymes involved in specific responses to P starvation, including PHOX, encoding the major secreted alkaline phosphatase, and multiple putative, high-efficiency phosphate transporter genes. More general responses included the up-regulation of genes involved in photoprotective processes (LHCSR3, LHCSR1, LHCBM9, PTOX1) and genes involved in protein modification and degradation. Down-regulated mRNAs indicated an early stage of the reduction of chloroplast ribosomal proteins, which are considered to be a reservoir for P in the cell. Chlamydomonas reinhardtii strain 21 gr (CC1690, wild-type) grown in TAP medium (Harris 1989) in a rotary incubator (200 rpm) at 25 M-BM-0C in continuous light (70 M-BM-5mol m-2 s-1). For 24 hours, either 1.1 mM phosphate or 0 mM were provided with the growth media. P deprivation was achieved by washing cells twice in midlogarithmic growth phase with liquid TAP medium without P (TAP-P) and cells were resuspended at a density of 2.5 mg/ml Chlorophyll in TAP or TAP-P. Cell aliquots were collected for mRNA isolation 24 h after being transferred either to TAP or TAP-P medium.