Project description:In Drosophila, siRNAs are classified as endo- or exo-siRNAs based on their origin. Both are processed from double-stranded RNA precursors by Dcr-2, then loaded into the Argonaute protein Ago2. While exo-siRNAs serve to defend the cell against viruses, endo-siRNAs restrict the spread of selfish DNA in somatic cells, analogous to piRNAs in the germ line. Endo- and exo-siRNAs display a differential requirement for double-stranded RNA binding domain proteins (dsRBPs): R2D2 is needed to load exo-siRNAs into Ago2 while the PD isoform of Loquacious (Loqs-PD) stimulates Dcr-2 during the nucleolytic processing of hairpin-derived endo-siRNAs. In cell culture assays, R2D2 antagonizes Loqs-PD in endo-siRNA silencing and Loqs-PD is an inhibitor of RNA interference. Loqs-PD can interact via the C-terminus unique to this isoform with the DExH/D-helicase domain of Drosophila Dcr-2, where binding of R2D2 has also been localized. Separation of the two pathways is not complete; rather, the dicing and Ago2-loading steps appear uncoupled, analogous to the corresponding steps in miRNA biogenesis. Analysis of deep sequencing data further demonstrates that in r2d2 mutant flies, siRNAs can be loaded into Ago2 but not all siRNA classes are equally proficient for this. Thus, the canonical Ago2-RISC loading complex can be bypassed under certain circumstances. Examination of small RNAs from two different mutant strains as well as the corresponding heterozygous controls
Project description:In Drosophila, siRNAs are classified as endo- or exo-siRNAs based on their origin. Both are processed from double-stranded RNA precursors by Dcr-2, then loaded into the Argonaute protein Ago2. While exo-siRNAs serve to defend the cell against viruses, endo-siRNAs restrict the spread of selfish DNA in somatic cells, analogous to piRNAs in the germ line. Endo- and exo-siRNAs display a differential requirement for double-stranded RNA binding domain proteins (dsRBPs): R2D2 is needed to load exo-siRNAs into Ago2 while the PD isoform of Loquacious (Loqs-PD) stimulates Dcr-2 during the nucleolytic processing of hairpin-derived endo-siRNAs. In cell culture assays, R2D2 antagonizes Loqs-PD in endo-siRNA silencing and Loqs-PD is an inhibitor of RNA interference. Loqs-PD can interact via the C-terminus unique to this isoform with the DExH/D-helicase domain of Drosophila Dcr-2, where binding of R2D2 has also been localized. Separation of the two pathways is not complete; rather, the dicing and Ago2-loading steps appear uncoupled, analogous to the corresponding steps in miRNA biogenesis. Analysis of deep sequencing data further demonstrates that in r2d2 mutant flies, siRNAs can be loaded into Ago2 but not all siRNA classes are equally proficient for this. Thus, the canonical Ago2-RISC loading complex can be bypassed under certain circumstances.
Project description:While mammalian somatic cells are incapable of mounting an effective RNA interference (RNAi) response to viral infections, plants and invertebrates are able to generate high levels of functional short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) of viral origin that can effectively control many infections. In Drosophila, the RNAi response is mediated by the Dicer 2 enzyme (dDcr2) acting in concert with two co-factors called Loqs-PD and R2D2. To examine whether a functional RNAi response could be reconstituted in human somatic cells by expression of these insect proteins, we expressed dDcr2, in the presence or absence of Loqs-PD and/or R2D2, in a previously described human cell line, NoDice/ΔPKR, that lacks functional forms of both the human Dicer (dcr) and EIF2AK2 (pkr) gene. Upon expression of dDcr2, Loqs-PD and R2D2 in these human cells, we observed the production of ~21-nt long siRNAs, derived from a co-transfected double stranded RNA (dsRNA) expression vector, that were loaded into the human RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC) and were able to significantly reduce the expression of a cognate indicator gene. We conclude that it is possible to at least partly rescue the ability of mammalian somatic cells to express functional siRNAs by using gene products of invertebrate origin.
Project description:Aedes aegypti mosquitoes vector several arboviruses of global health significance, including dengue viruses and chikungunya virus. RNA interference (RNAi) plays an important role in antiviral immunity, gene regulation and protection from transposable elements. Double-stranded RNA binding proteins (dsRBPs) are important for efficient RNAi; in Drosophila functional specialization of the miRNA, endo-siRNA and exo-siRNA pathway is aided by the dsRBPs Loqs-PB, Loqs-PD and R2D2, respectively. However, this functional specialization has not been investigated in other dipterans. Characterization of the gene structure, expression pattern and interactions with other RNAi/miRNA components revealed that mosquito Loqs/R3D1 isoform -PA, but not -PB interacted readily with both AeAGO1 and AeAGO2. This interaction was mapped to a 32 a.a. region predicted to be structurally similar to the unique 22 a.a. tail of Drosophila Loqs-PD. No -PD isoforms could be detected in Ae. aegypti; analysis of other dipteran genomes demonstrated that this isoform is not conserved outside of Drosophila. Overexpression experiments indicated that Loqs/R3D1-PA participates in endo-siRNA, but not exo-siRNA based silencing. We conclude that the functional specialization of Loqs-PD in Drosophila is a recently derived trait, and that in other dipterans, including the medically important mosquitoes, Loqs/R3D1-A participates in both the miRNA and endo-siRNA based pathways. 12 samples, 3 replicates of each type of sample. The GFP sample is the reference sample
Project description:Aedes aegypti mosquitoes vector several arboviruses of global health significance, including dengue viruses and chikungunya virus. RNA interference (RNAi) plays an important role in antiviral immunity, gene regulation and protection from transposable elements. Double-stranded RNA binding proteins (dsRBPs) are important for efficient RNAi; in Drosophila functional specialization of the miRNA, endo-siRNA and exo-siRNA pathway is aided by the dsRBPs Loqs-PB, Loqs-PD and R2D2, respectively. However, this functional specialization has not been investigated in other dipterans. Characterization of the gene structure, expression pattern and interactions with other RNAi/miRNA components revealed that mosquito Loqs/R3D1 isoform -PA, but not -PB interacted readily with both AeAGO1 and AeAGO2. This interaction was mapped to a 32 a.a. region predicted to be structurally similar to the unique 22 a.a. tail of Drosophila Loqs-PD. No -PD isoforms could be detected in Ae. aegypti; analysis of other dipteran genomes demonstrated that this isoform is not conserved outside of Drosophila. Overexpression experiments indicated that Loqs/R3D1-PA participates in endo-siRNA, but not exo-siRNA based silencing. We conclude that the functional specialization of Loqs-PD in Drosophila is a recently derived trait, and that in other dipterans, including the medically important mosquitoes, Loqs/R3D1-A participates in both the miRNA and endo-siRNA based pathways.
Project description:In Drosophila, the siRNA pathway is initiated when exogenous or endogenous double stranded RNA (dsRNA) is processed into siRNAs by Dicer-2 (Dcr-2) and a dsRNA-binding protein (dsRBP) cofactor called Loquacious (Loqs). The siRNAs are then loaded onto Argonaute-2 (Ago2) protein by the action of Dcr-2 with another dsRBP cofactor called R2D2. Loaded Ago2 executes the destruction of target RNAs that have sequence complementarity to the siRNA. Dcr-2, R2D2, and Ago2 have also been shown to be required for innate antiviral defense in Drosophila. However, the biogenesis of virus-derived siRNAs (vsiRNAs) and their targets in virus-infected cells remain unclear. Here, we analyzed the antiviral response in Drosophila by monitoring the replication of different RNA viruses and deep sequencing of small RNAs in infected animals. We show that vsiRNAs are generated by Dcr-2 processing of dsRNA formed during viral genome replication and transcription. These vsiRNAs then directly target viral transcripts but not genomes, to inhibit viral replication. The biogenesis of vsiRNAs was virtually independent of Loqs and R2D2. R2D2, however, was essential for sorting and loading of vsiRNAs onto Ago2 and effective silencing of viral RNA expression. Loqs was completely dispensable for silencing of viruses in contrast to its role in silencing of endogenous targets. Our results suggest the existence of a specific siRNA pathway triggered by viral infection independent of conserved dsRBP cofactors and separate from the endogenous pathway. Inhibition of virus replication resulting from direct injection of viral RNA into Drosophila embryos was also not dependent on Loqs, suggesting the distinction of the two pathways is not related to the mode of entry but recognition of intrinsic features of viral RNA or its mode of replication. We speculate that this unique framework might be necessary for a prompt and efficient antiviral response
Project description:In Drosophila, the siRNA pathway is initiated when exogenous or endogenous double stranded RNA (dsRNA) is processed into siRNAs by Dicer-2 (Dcr-2) and a dsRNA-binding protein (dsRBP) cofactor called Loquacious (Loqs). The siRNAs are then loaded onto Argonaute-2 (Ago2) protein by the action of Dcr-2 with another dsRBP cofactor called R2D2. Loaded Ago2 executes the destruction of target RNAs that have sequence complementarity to the siRNA. Dcr-2, R2D2, and Ago2 have also been shown to be required for innate antiviral defense in Drosophila. However, the biogenesis of virus-derived siRNAs (vsiRNAs) and their targets in virus-infected cells remain unclear. Here, we analyzed the antiviral response in Drosophila by monitoring the replication of different RNA viruses and deep sequencing of small RNAs in infected animals. We show that vsiRNAs are generated by Dcr-2 processing of dsRNA formed during viral genome replication and transcription. These vsiRNAs then directly target viral transcripts but not genomes, to inhibit viral replication. The biogenesis of vsiRNAs was virtually independent of Loqs and R2D2. R2D2, however, was essential for sorting and loading of vsiRNAs onto Ago2 and effective silencing of viral RNA expression. Loqs was completely dispensable for silencing of viruses in contrast to its role in silencing of endogenous targets. Our results suggest the existence of a specific siRNA pathway triggered by viral infection independent of conserved dsRBP cofactors and separate from the endogenous pathway. Inhibition of virus replication resulting from direct injection of viral RNA into Drosophila embryos was also not dependent on Loqs, suggesting the distinction of the two pathways is not related to the mode of entry but recognition of intrinsic features of viral RNA or its mode of replication. We speculate that this unique framework might be necessary for a prompt and efficient antiviral response We analyzed the small RNA reponse to viral infection by deep sequencing of small RNA libraries from wild type and RNAi mutant adult flies infected with Sindbis birus and Vesicular Stomatatis virus.
Project description:Transposable elements are a serious threat for genome integrity and their control via small RNA mediated silencing pathways is an ancient strategy. The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster has two silencing mechanisms that repress TEs expression: endogenous siRNAs (esiRNAs or endo-siRNAs) and Piwi-interacting small RNAs (piRNAs). The biogenesis of endo-siRNAs involves Loqs-PD, which acts predominantly during processing of dsRNA by Dcr-2, and R2D2 that primarily helps to direct siRNAs for loading into Ago2. We provide deep sequencing evidence consistent with the idea that R2D2 and Loqs-PD can function in part redundantly. Certain transposons display a preference for either dsRBD-protein for production or loading; this appeared to correlate neither with overall abundance, classification of the transposon or a specific site of genomic origin. The endo-siRNA biogenesis pathway in the germline operates according to the same principles as the existing model for the soma, and its impairment does not significantly affect piRNAs. Expanding the analysis, we confirmed the occurrence of somatic piRNA-like RNAs (pilRNAs) that show a ping-pong signature. We detected expression of the Piwi-family protein mRNAs only barely above background, indicating that the somatic pilRNAs may arise from a small sub-population of somatic cells that express a functional piRNA pathway. small RNA sampling experiment; small RNAs were prepared from head & thorax as well as dissected ovaries of Adult female Drosophila melanogaster. We used homozygous mutants of the dsRBD proteins Loqs and r2d2 to determine their contribution to the biogenesis of transposon-derived small RNAs. Heterozygous mutant animals served as control. For each RNA sample, we performed one deep-sequencing run without any treatment, and in parallel one sequencing run after periodate oxidation and beta-elimination. After this treatment, only Ago2, Piwi, Aub and Ago3-loaded small RNAs remain as they carry a 2'-O-methyl modification at their 3'-end. This helps to determine the loading status of the small RNAs detected. In total 8 different RNA samples were prepared and 16 libraries were sequenced.
Project description:Transposable elements are a serious threat for genome integrity and their control via small RNA mediated silencing pathways is an ancient strategy. The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster has two silencing mechanisms that repress TEs expression: endogenous siRNAs (esiRNAs or endo-siRNAs) and Piwi-interacting small RNAs (piRNAs). The biogenesis of endo-siRNAs involves Loqs-PD, which acts predominantly during processing of dsRNA by Dcr-2, and R2D2 that primarily helps to direct siRNAs for loading into Ago2. We provide deep sequencing evidence consistent with the idea that R2D2 and Loqs-PD can function in part redundantly. Certain transposons display a preference for either dsRBD-protein for production or loading; this appeared to correlate neither with overall abundance, classification of the transposon or a specific site of genomic origin. The endo-siRNA biogenesis pathway in the germline operates according to the same principles as the existing model for the soma, and its impairment does not significantly affect piRNAs. Expanding the analysis, we confirmed the occurrence of somatic piRNA-like RNAs (pilRNAs) that show a ping-pong signature. We detected expression of the Piwi-family protein mRNAs only barely above background, indicating that the somatic pilRNAs may arise from a small sub-population of somatic cells that express a functional piRNA pathway.