RESUMO
Transgenerational effects have wide-ranging implications for human health, biological adaptation, and evolution; however, their mechanisms and biology remain poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that a germline nuclear small RNA/chromatin pathway can maintain stable inheritance for many generations when triggered by a piRNA-dependent foreign RNA response in C. elegans. Using forward genetic screens and candidate approaches, we find that a core set of nuclear RNAi and chromatin factors is required for multigenerational inheritance of environmental RNAi and piRNA silencing. These include a germline-specific nuclear Argonaute HRDE1/WAGO-9, a HP1 ortholog HPL-2, and two putative histone methyltransferases, SET-25 and SET-32. piRNAs can trigger highly stable long-term silencing lasting at least 20 generations. Once established, this long-term memory becomes independent of the piRNA trigger but remains dependent on the nuclear RNAi/chromatin pathway. Our data present a multigenerational epigenetic inheritance mechanism induced by piRNAs.
Assuntos
Caenorhabditis elegans/genética , Epigenômica , Interferência de RNA , RNA de Helmintos/metabolismo , RNA Interferente Pequeno/metabolismo , Animais , Caenorhabditis elegans/metabolismo , Núcleo Celular/genética , Núcleo Celular/metabolismo , Feminino , Células Germinativas/metabolismo , Masculino , TransgenesRESUMO
The Piwi proteins of the Argonaute superfamily are required for normal germline development in Drosophila, zebrafish, and mice and associate with 24-30 nucleotide RNAs termed piRNAs. We identify a class of 21 nucleotide RNAs, previously named 21U-RNAs, as the piRNAs of C. elegans. Piwi and piRNA expression is restricted to the male and female germline and independent of many proteins in other small-RNA pathways, including DCR-1. We show that Piwi is specifically required to silence Tc3, but not other Tc/mariner DNA transposons. Tc3 excision rates in the germline are increased at least 100-fold in piwi mutants as compared to wild-type. We find no evidence for a Ping-Pong model for piRNA amplification in C. elegans. Instead, we demonstrate that Piwi acts upstream of an endogenous siRNA pathway in Tc3 silencing. These data might suggest a link between piRNA and siRNA function.
Assuntos
Proteínas de Caenorhabditis elegans/metabolismo , Caenorhabditis elegans/metabolismo , Elementos de DNA Transponíveis/genética , Células Germinativas/metabolismo , Proteínas/metabolismo , RNA Interferente Pequeno/metabolismo , Animais , Proteínas Argonautas , Caenorhabditis elegans/genética , Proteínas de Drosophila , Feminino , Inativação Gênica , Genes de Helmintos , Células Germinativas/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Masculino , Proteínas/genética , RNA de Helmintos/metabolismo , Complexo de Inativação Induzido por RNA , Transposases/metabolismoRESUMO
RNA interference (RNAi)-related pathways affect gene activity by sequence-specific recruitment of Ago proteins to mRNA target molecules. The sequence specificity of this process stems from small RNA (sRNA) co-factors bound by the Ago protein. Stability of sRNA molecules in some pathways is in part regulated by Hen1-mediated methylation of their 3' ends. Here we describe the effects of the Caenorhabditis elegans HEN1 RNA-methyl-transferase homolog, HENN-1, on the different RNAi pathways in this nematode. We reveal differential effects of HENN-1 on the two pathways that are known to employ methylated sRNA molecules: the 26G and 21U pathways. Surprisingly, in the germline, stability of 21U RNAs, the C. elegans piRNAs, is only mildly affected by loss of methylation; and introduction of artificial 21U target RNA does not further destabilize non-methylated 21U RNAs. In contrast, most 26G RNAs display reduced stability and respond to loss of HENN-1 by displaying increased 3'-uridylation frequencies. Within the 26G RNA class, we find that specifically ERGO-1-bound 26G RNAs are modified by HENN-1, while ALG-3/ALG-4-bound 26G RNAs are not. Global gene expression analysis of henn-1 mutants reveals mild effects, including down-regulation of many germline-expressed genes. Our data suggest that, apart from direct effects of reduced 26G RNA levels of henn-1 on gene expression, most effects on global gene expression are indirect. These studies further refine our understanding of endogenous RNAi in C. elegans and the roles for Hen1 like enzymes in these pathways.
Assuntos
Proteínas de Caenorhabditis elegans/genética , Caenorhabditis elegans , Células Germinativas/metabolismo , Proteínas do Tecido Nervoso/genética , Interferência de RNA , RNA Interferente Pequeno/genética , Regiões 3' não Traduzidas/genética , Animais , Proteínas Argonautas/genética , Proteínas Argonautas/metabolismo , Caenorhabditis elegans/genética , Caenorhabditis elegans/metabolismo , Proteínas de Caenorhabditis elegans/metabolismo , Regulação da Expressão Gênica no Desenvolvimento , Metilação , Mutação , Proteínas do Tecido Nervoso/metabolismo , Estabilidade de RNA/genética , RNA Interferente Pequeno/metabolismo , Proteínas de Ligação a RNA/genética , Transdução de SinaisRESUMO
Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are small RNAs required to maintain germline integrity and fertility, but their mechanism of action is poorly understood. Here we demonstrate that Caenorhabditis elegans piRNAs silence transcripts in trans through imperfectly complementary sites. Target silencing is independent of Piwi endonuclease activity or "slicing." Instead, piRNAs initiate a localized secondary endogenous small interfering RNA (endo-siRNA) response. Endogenous protein-coding gene and transposon transcripts exhibit Piwi-dependent endo-siRNAs at sites complementary to piRNAs and are derepressed in Piwi mutants. Genomic loci of piRNA biogenesis are depleted of protein-coding genes and tend to overlap the start and end of transposons in sense and antisense, respectively. Our data suggest that nematode piRNA clusters are evolving to generate piRNAs against active mobile elements. Thus, piRNAs provide heritable, sequence-specific triggers for RNA interference in C. elegans.