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Role of the stress sigma factor RpoS in GacA/RsmA-controlled secondary metabolism and resistance to oxidative stress in Pseudomonas fluorescens CHA0.

In Pseudomonas fluorescens biocontrol strain CHA0, the two-component system GacS/GacA positively controls the synthesis of extracellular products such as hydrogen cyanide, protease, and 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol, by upregulating the transcription of small regulatory RNAs which relieve RsmA-mediated translational repression of target genes. The expression of the stress sigma factor sigmaS (RpoS) was controlled positively by GacA and negatively by RsmA. By comparison with the wild-type CHA0, both a gacS and an rpoS null mutant were more sensitive to H2O2 in stationary phase. Overexpression of rpoS or of rsmZ, encoding a small RNA antagonistic to RsmA, restored peroxide resistance to a gacS mutant. By contrast, the rpoS mutant showed a slight increase in the expression of the hcnA (HCN synthase subunit) gene and of the aprA (major exoprotease) gene, whereas overexpression of sigmaS strongly reduced the expression of these genes. These results suggest that in strain CHA0, regulation of exoproduct synthesis does not involve sigmaS as an intermediate in the Gac/Rsm signal transduction pathway whereas sigmaS participates in Gac/Rsm-mediated resistance to oxidative stress.

Bacterial Proteins↗

Intron-derived microRNAs--fine tuning of gene functions.

New evidence suggests that abundant small RNAs, microRNAs (miRNAs) act as regulatory vehicles to repress translation or cleave RNA transcripts, depending on their complementarity to the target gene, and result in modulation of gene expression. This review describes that the miRNAs derived from introns can suppress intracellular RNA homologues and regulate the gene function.

Animals↗

Deletion of the DNA/RNA-binding protein MSY2 leads to post-meiotic arrest.

Y-box proteins are a well-characterized family of nucleic acid binding proteins that are expressed from bacteria to human. This review will focus on MSY2, a member of the Y-box gene family that is exclusively expressed in male and female germ cells. MSY2 is the mouse ortholog of FRGY2, the Xenopus germ cell-specific protein and the human germ cell protein, Contrin. MSY2 functions as a co-activator of transcription in male germ cells and plays an important role in the translational repression and storage of both paternal and maternal mRNAs in spermatocytes, spermatids and oocytes. Following gene targeting, matings of heterozygotes produce a normal Mendelian ratio with equal numbers of phenotypically normal males and females. However, males and females lacking Msy2 are infertile. In Msy2-null males, spermatogenesis is disrupted in post-meiotic germ cells with many misshapen and multinucleated spermatids. No spermatozoa are found in the epididymis. The germ cell specificity and the critical functions played by this multifunctional DNA- and RNA-binding protein during spermatogenesis make Contrin, the human ortholog of MSY2, an attractive and novel target for male contraception.

Animals↗

Human Argonaute2 mediates RNA cleavage targeted by miRNAs and siRNAs.

Argonaute proteins associate with small RNAs that guide mRNA degradation, translational repression, or a combination of both. The human Argonaute family has eight members, four of which (Ago1 through Ago4) are closely related and coexpressed in many cell types. To understand the biological function of the different Ago proteins, we set out to determine if Ago1 through Ago4 are associated with miRNAs as well as RISC activity in human cell lines. Our results suggest that miRNAs are incorporated indiscriminately of their sequence into Ago1 through Ago4 containing microRNPs (miRNPs). Purification of the FLAG/HA-epitope-tagged Ago containing complexes from different human cell lines revealed that endonuclease activity is exclusively associated with Ago2. Exogenously introduced siRNAs also associate with Ago2 for guiding target RNA cleavage. The specific role of Ago2 in guiding target RNA cleavage was confirmed independently by siRNA-based depletion of individual Ago members in combination with a sensitive positive-readout reporter assay.

Argonaute Proteins↗

MicroRNAs: something important between the genes.

Non-coding small endogenous RNAs, of 21-24 nucleotides in length, have recently emerged as important regulators of gene expression in both plants and animals. At least three categories of small RNAs exist in plants: short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) deriving from viruses or transgenes and mediating virus resistance or transgene silencing via RNA degradation; siRNAs deriving from transposons or transgene promoters and controlling transposon and transgene silencing probably via chromatin changes; and microRNAs (miRNAs) deriving from intergenic regions of the genome and regulating the expression of endogenous genes either by mRNA cleavage or translational repression. The disruption of miRNA-mediated regulation causes developmental abnormalities in plants, demonstrating that miRNAs play an important role in the regulation of developmental decisions.

Gene Expression Regulation, Plant↗

New insights on Plasmodium gene expression from direct RNA sequencing.

Oxford Nanopore Technology (ONT) direct RNA sequencing enables the sequencing of native RNA molecules without cDNA conversion. The long-read approach captures full-length reads spanning entire genes and has transformed the study of gene expression in Plasmodium parasites by enabling analysis of untranslated regions, isoforms, and alternative splicing. In addition, ONT provides unique insights into non-coding RNAs, RNA modifications, and polyadenylated tail dynamics, which are expanding our understanding of post-transcriptional regulation in Plasmodium, including processes beyond translational repression in gametocytes and sporozoites. Here, we discuss the past and future applications of direct RNA sequencing in Plasmodium research and highlight its advantages, limitations, and future prospects.

Oxford Nanopore Technology↗

Post-transcriptional gene silencing by siRNAs and miRNAs.

Recent years have seen a rapid increase in our understanding of how double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) and 21- to 25-nucleotide small RNAs, microRNAs (miRNAs) and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), control gene expression in eukaryotes. This RNA-mediated regulation generally results in sequence-specific inhibition of gene expression; this can occur at levels as different as chromatin modification and silencing, translational repression and mRNA degradation. Many details of the biogenesis and function of miRNAs and siRNAs, and of the effector complexes with which they associate have been elucidated. The first structural information on protein components of the RNA interference (RNAi) and miRNA machineries is emerging, and provides some insight into the mechanism of RNA-silencing reactions.

Animals↗

The microRNA world: small is mighty.

A new paradigm of RNA-directed gene expression regulation has emerged recently, profound in scope but arresting in the apparent simplicity of its core mechanism. Cells express numerous small ( approximately 22 nucleotide) RNAs that act as specificity determinants to direct destruction or translational repression of their mRNA targets. These small RNAs arise from processing of double-stranded RNA by the Dicer nuclease and incorporate with proteins that belong to the Argonaute family. Small RNAs might also target and silence homologous DNA sequences. The immense potential of small RNAs as controllers of gene networks is just beginning to unfold.

Animals↗

Genomics of microRNA.

Discovered just over a decade ago, microRNA (miRNA) is now recognized as one of the major regulatory gene families in eukaryotic cells. Hundreds of miRNAs have been found in animals, plants and viruses, and there are certainly more to come. Through specific base-pairing with mRNAs, these tiny approximately 22-nt RNAs induce mRNA degradation or translational repression, or both. Because a miRNA can target numerous mRNAs, often in combination with other miRNAs, miRNAs operate highly complex regulatory networks. In this article, we summarize the current status of miRNA gene mining and miRNA expression profiling. We also review up-to-date knowledge of miRNA gene structure and the biogenesis mechanism. Our focus is on animal miRNAs.

Animals↗

Plant microRNA: a small regulatory molecule with big impact.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are an abundant new class of non-coding approximately 20-24 nt small RNAs. To date, 872 miRNAs, belonging to 42 families, have been identified in 71 plant species by genetic screening, direct cloning after isolation of small RNAs, computational strategy, and expressed sequence tag (EST) analysis. Many plant miRNAs are evolutionarily conserved from species to species, some from angiosperms to mosses. miRNAs may originate from inverted duplications of target gene sequences in plants. Although miRNA precursors display high variability, their mature sequences display extensive sequence complementarity to their target mRNA sequences. miRNAs play important roles in plant post-transcriptional gene regulation by targeting mRNAs for cleavage or repressing translation. miRNAs are involved in plant development, signal transduction, protein degradation, response to environmental stress and pathogen invasion, and regulate their own biogenesis. miRNAs regulate the expression of many important genes; a majority of these genes are transcriptional factors.

Gene Expression Regulation, Plant↗

microRNAs as oncogenes and tumor suppressors.

microRNAs (miRNAs) are a new class of non-protein-coding, endogenous, small RNAs. They are important regulatory molecules in animals and plants. miRNA regulates gene expression by translational repression, mRNA cleavage, and mRNA decay initiated by miRNA-guided rapid deadenylation. Recent studies show that some miRNAs regulate cell proliferation and apoptosis processes that are important in cancer formation. By using multiple molecular techniques, which include Northern blot analysis, real-time PCR, miRNA microarray, up- or down-expression of specific miRNAs, it was found that several miRNAs were directly involved in human cancers, including lung, breast, brain, liver, colon cancer, and leukemia. In addition, some miRNAs may function as oncogenes or tumor suppressors. More than 50% of miRNA genes are located in cancer-associated genomic regions or in fragile sites, suggesting that miRNAs may play a more important role in the pathogenesis of a limited range of human cancers than previously thought. Overexpressed miRNAs in cancers, such as mir-17-92, may function as oncogenes and promote cancer development by negatively regulating tumor suppressor genes and/or genes that control cell differentiation or apoptosis. Underexpressed miRNAs in cancers, such as let-7, function as tumor suppressor genes and may inhibit cancers by regulating oncogenes and/or genes that control cell differentiation or apoptosis. miRNA expression profiles may become useful biomarkers for cancer diagnostics. In addition, miRNA therapy could be a powerful tool for cancer prevention and therapeutics.

Animals↗

Function of RNA-binding protein Musashi-1 in stem cells.

Musashi is an evolutionarily conserved family of RNA-binding proteins that is preferentially expressed in the nervous system. The first member of the Musashi family was identified in Drosophila. This protein plays an essential role in regulating the asymmetric cell division of ectodermal precursor cells known as sensory organ precursor cells through the translational regulation of target mRNA. In the CNS of Drosophila larvae, however, Musashi is expressed in proliferating neuroblasts and likely has a different function. Its probable mammalian homologue, Musashi-1, is a neural RNA-binding protein that is strongly expressed in fetal and adult neural stem cells (NSCs). Mammalian Musashi-1 augments Notch signaling through the translational repression of its target mRNA, m-Numb, thereby contributing to the self-renewal of NSCs. In addition to its functions in NSCs, the role of mammalian Musashi-1 protein in epithelial stem cells, including intestinal and mammary gland stem cells, is attracting increasing interest.

Animals↗

Tep22, a novel testicular expressed gene, is involved in the biogenesis of the acrosome and the midpiece of the sperm tail.

To identify new genes that could be involved in the differentiation and function of male germ cells, we have screened a murine testis cDNA library and isolated a clone that was named Tep22. The gene encoding Tep22 consists of three exons and is localized in the telomeric region of mouse chromosome 12. Expression analyses with RNA from different adult tissues revealed that Tep22 is predominantly expressed in spermatocytes and spermatids of the murine testis. Four Tep22 transcript sizes ranging from 647 to 1122 nucleotides were detected in testes of 15-day-old mice due to variable 5' UTRs, while the open reading frame of Tep22 has a length of 567bp in all transcript forms. Specific antibodies against Tep22 detected an approximately 22kDa band in testicular protein extracts, which was first observed in 18-day-old mice, indicating that Tep22 is translationally repressed for several days. Indirect immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy experiments demonstrate that Tep22 is localized in the acrosomal region of early elongating spermatids, while the surrounding cytoplasm is barely labeled. During further germ cell development, the intensity of the staining in the acrosomal region decreases and is no longer detectable in late stages of elongating spermatids, whereas the amount of the Tep22 protein increases in the cytoplasm. Finally, Tep22 is incorporated into the midpiece of spermatids and is also present in the mitochondrial sheath of mature spermatozoa. Taken together, our results suggest that Tep22 is involved in the biogenesis of the acrosome as well as in the function of the midpiece of murine spermatozoa.

Acrosome↗

Visualization of the reconstituted FRGY2-mRNA complexes by electron microscopy.

Xenopus oocytes store large quantities of translationally dormant mRNA in the cytoplasm as storage messenger ribonucleoprotein particles (mRNPs). The Y-box proteins, mRNP3 and FRGY2/mRNP4, are major RNA binding components of maternal storage mRNPs in oocytes. In this study, we show that the FRGY2 proteins form complexes with mRNA, which leads to mRNA stabilization and translational repression. Visualization of the FRGY2-mRNA complexes by electron microscopy reveals that FRGY2 packages mRNA into a compact RNP. Our results are consistent with a model that the Y-box proteins function in packaging of mRNAs to store them stably for a long time in the oocyte cytoplasm.

Animals↗

Temporal regulation of microRNA expression in Drosophila melanogaster mediated by hormonal signals and broad-Complex gene activity.

lin-4 and let-7 are founding members of an extensive family of genes that produce small transcripts, termed microRNAs (miRNAs). In Caenorhabditis elegans, lin-4 and let-7 control the timing of postembryonic events by translational repression of target genes, permitting progression from early to late developmental programs. To identify Drosophila melanogaster miRNAs that could play similar roles in the control of developmental timing, we characterized the developmental expression profile of 24 miRNAs in Drosophila, and found 7 miRNAs that are either upregulated or downregulated in conjunction with metamorphosis. The upregulation of three of these miRNAs (mir-100, mir-125, and let-7), and the downregulation of a fourth (mir-34) requires the hormone ecdysone (Ecd) and the activity of the Ecd-inducible gene Broad-Complex. Interestingly, mir-125 is a putative homologue of lin-4. mir-100, -125, and let-7 are clustered within an 800-bp region on chromosome 2L, suggesting that these three miRNAs may be coordinately regulated via common cis-acting elements during metamorphosis. In S2 cells, Ecd and the juvenile hormone analog methoprene exert opposite effects on the expression of these four miRNAs, indicating the participation of both these hormones in the temporal regulation of mir-34, -100, -125, and let-7 expression in vivo.

Animals↗

Characterizing the interaction of the mammalian eIF4E-related protein 4EHP with 4E-BP1.

Eukaryotic initiation factor 4E-binding protein 1 (4E-BP1) represses translation initiation by binding to eukaryotic initiation factor 4E (eIF4E). 4E-BP1 also binds to the eIF4E homologous protein (4EHP). We show that eIF4E-binding mutants of 4E-BP1 (Y54A and L59A) fail to form heterodimeric complexes with wild-type 4EHP. In addition, the W95A mutant of 4EHP, similar to a homologous mutation in eIF4E, inhibits its binding to wild-type 4E-BP1. Interestingly, 4EHP over-expression instigates a negative feedback loop that inhibits upstream signaling to 4E-BP1 and ribosomal protein S6 kinase 1 (S6K1) whereas the 4E-BP1-binding-deficient mutant of 4EHP(W95A) was unable to trigger this feedback loop. Thus, the interaction of 4EHP with 4E-BP1 is necessary for this observed impaired signaling to 4E-BP1 and S6K1.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

Mutational analysis of polynucleotide phosphorylase from Escherichia coli.

Polynucleotide phosphorylase (PNPase), a homotrimeric exoribonuclease present in bacteria, is involved in mRNA degradation. In Escherichia coli, expression of this enzyme is autocontrolled at the translational level. We introduced about 30 mutations in the pnp gene by site-directed mutagenesis, most of them in phylogenetically conserved residues, and determined their effects on the three catalytic activities of PNPase, phosphorolysis, polymerisation and phosphate exchange, as well as on the efficiency of translational repression. The data are presented and discussed in the light of the crystallographic structure of PNPase from Streptomyces antibioticus. The results show that both PNPase activity and the presence of the KH and S1 RNA-binding domains are required for autocontrol. Deletions of these RNA-binding domains do not abolish any of the three catalytic activities, indicating that they are contained in a domain independent of the catalytic centre. Moreover, the catalytic centre was located around the tungsten-binding site identified by crystallography. Some mutations affect the three catalytic activities differently, an observation consistent with the presence of different subsites.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The fragile X syndrome protein FMRP associates with BC1 RNA and regulates the translation of specific mRNAs at synapses.

The Fragile X syndrome, which results from the absence of functional FMRP protein, is the most common heritable form of mental retardation. Here, we show that FMRP acts as a translational repressor of specific mRNAs at synapses. Interestingly, FMRP associates not only with these target mRNAs, but also with the dendritic, non-translatable RNA BC1. Blocking of BC1 inhibits the interaction of FMRP with its target mRNAs. Furthermore, BC1 binds directly to FMRP and can also associate, in the absence of any protein, with the mRNAs regulated by FMRP. This suggests a mechanism where BC1 could determine the specificity of FMRP function by linking the regulated mRNAs and FMRP. Thus, when FMRP is not present, loss of translational repression of specific mRNAs at synapses could result in synaptic dysfunction phenotype of Fragile X patients.

Animals↗