Project description:Chromatin remodeling factors play important roles in accessibility formation of regulatory DNA. The mechanism by which chromatin remodeling factors regulate regulatory DNA regions that activate expression of cell type-specific genes during the nervous system development remains unknown. Chromatin remodeling complexes have neuron-specific factors, which are often mutated in patients with neurological disease. Here we demonstrate that neuronal chromatin remodeling factors activate neuronal gene expression during the nervous system development.
Project description:Eukaryotic genomes largely consist of non-coding DNA regions. Most non-coding DNA resides in intergenic DNA regions located between a gene and its nearest gene. Here, we demonstrate the relationship between intergenic DNA and gene regulation throughout the mammalian nervous system.
Project description:Eukaryotic genomes largely consist of non-coding DNA regions. Most non-coding DNA resides in intergenic DNA regions located between a gene and its nearest gene. Here, we demonstrate the relationship between intergenic DNA and gene regulation throughout the mammalian nervous system.
Project description:N6-methyladenosine (m6A) affects multiple aspects of mRNA metabolism and regulates developmental transitions by promoting mRNA decay. Little is known about the role of m6A in the adult mammalian nervous system. Here we report that sciatic nerve lesion elevates levels of m6A-tagged transcripts encoding many regeneration-associated genes and protein translation machinery components in the adult mouse dorsal root ganglion (DRG). Single base resolution m6A-CLIP mapping further reveals a dynamic m6A landscape in the adult DRG upon injury. Loss of either m6A methyltransferase complex component Mettl14 or m6A-binding protein Ythdf1 globally attenuates injury induced protein translation in adult DRGs and reduces functional axon regeneration in the peripheral nervous system in vivo. Furthermore, Pten deletion-induced axon regeneration of retinal ganglion neurons in the adult central nervous system is attenuated upon Mettl14 knockdown. Our study reveals a critical epitranscriptomic mechanism in promoting injury-induced protein synthesis and axon regeneration in the adult mammalian nervous system.
Project description:RNA-binding proteins and messenger RNAs assemble into ribonucleoprotein granules that regulate mRNA trafficking, local translation, and turnover. The dysregulation of RNA-protein condensation disturbs synaptic plasticity and neuron survival, and has been widely associated with human neurological disease. Neuronal granules are thought to condense around particular proteins that dictate the identity and composition of each granule type. Here, we show in Drosophila that a previously uncharacterized long non-coding RNA, mimi, is required to scaffold large neuronal granules in the adult nervous system. Neuronal ELAV-like proteins directly bind mimi and mediate granule assembly, while Staufen maintains condensate integrity. mimi granules contain mRNAs and proteins involved in synaptic processes; granule loss in mimi mutant flies impairs nervous system maturity, neuropeptide-mediated signaling and causes phenotypes of neurodegeneration. Our work reports the first architectural RNA for a neuronal granule and provides a handle to interrogate functions of a condensate independently from those of its constituent proteins.
Project description:RNA-binding proteins and messenger RNAs assemble into ribonucleoprotein granules that regulate mRNA trafficking, local translation, and turnover. The dysregulation of RNA-protein condensation disturbs synaptic plasticity and neuron survival, and has been widely associated with human neurological disease. Neuronal granules are thought to condense around particular proteins that dictate the identity and composition of each granule type. Here, we show in Drosophila that a previously uncharacterized long non-coding RNA, mimi, is required to scaffold large neuronal granules in the adult nervous system. Neuronal ELAV-like proteins directly bind mimi and mediate granule assembly, while Staufen maintains condensate integrity. mimi granules contain mRNAs and proteins involved in synaptic processes; granule loss in mimi mutant flies impairs nervous system maturity, neuropeptide-mediated signaling and causes phenotypes of neurodegeneration. Our work reports the first architectural RNA for a neuronal granule and provides a handle to interrogate functions of a condensate independently from those of its constituent proteins.
Project description:RNA-binding proteins and messenger RNAs assemble into ribonucleoprotein granules that regulate mRNA trafficking, local translation, and turnover. The dysregulation of RNA-protein condensation disturbs synaptic plasticity and neuron survival, and has been widely associated with human neurological disease. Neuronal granules are thought to condense around particular proteins that dictate the identity and composition of each granule type. Here, we show in Drosophila that a previously uncharacterized long non-coding RNA, mimi, is required to scaffold large neuronal granules in the adult nervous system. Neuronal ELAV-like proteins directly bind mimi and mediate granule assembly, while Staufen maintains condensate integrity. mimi granules contain mRNAs and proteins involved in synaptic processes; granule loss in mimi mutant flies impairs nervous system maturity, neuropeptide-mediated signaling and causes phenotypes of neurodegeneration. Our work reports the first architectural RNA for a neuronal granule and provides a handle to interrogate functions of a condensate independently from those of its constituent proteins.