The mir-51 Family of MicroRNAs Functions in Diverse Regulatory Pathways in Caenorhbditis elegans

Authors

Allison L. Abbott, Marquette UniversityFollow
John L. Brenner, Marquette UniversityFollow
Benedict J. Kemp, Marquette University

Document Type

Article

Language

eng

Format of Original

10 p.

Publication Date

5-16-2012

Publisher

Public Library of Science

Source Publication

PLoS One

Source ISSN

1932-6203

Original Item ID

doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0037185

Abstract

The mir-51 family of microRNAs (miRNAs) in C. elegans are part of the deeply conserved miR-99/100 family. While loss of all six family members (mir-51-56) in C. elegans results in embryonic lethality, loss of individual mir-51 family members results in a suppression of retarded developmental timing defects associated with the loss of alg-1. The mechanism of this suppression of developmental timing defects is unknown. To address this, we characterized the function of the mir-51 family in the developmental timing pathway. We performed genetic analysis and determined that mir-51 family members regulate the developmental timing pathway in the L2 stage upstream of hbl-1. Loss of the mir-51 family member, mir-52, suppressed retarded developmental timing defects associated with the loss of let-7 family members and lin-46. Enhancement of precocious defects was observed for mutations in lin-14, hbl-1, and mir-48(ve33), but not later acting developmental timing genes. Interestingly, mir-51 family members showed genetic interactions with additional miRNA-regulated pathways, which are regulated by the let-7 and mir-35 family miRNAs, lsy-6, miR-240/786, and miR-1. Loss of mir-52 likely does not suppress miRNA-regulated pathways through an increase in miRNA biogenesis or miRNA activity. We found no increase in the levels of four mature miRNAs, let-7, miR-58, miR-62 or miR-244, in mir-52 or mir-52/53/54/55/56 mutant worms. In addition, we observed no increase in the activity of ectopic lsy-6 in the repression of a downstream target in uterine cells in worms that lack mir-52. We propose that the mir-51 family functions broadly through the regulation of multiple targets, which have not yet been identified, in diverse regulatory pathways in C. elegans.

Comments

Published version. PLoS, Vol. 7, No. 5 (2012): e37185. DOI. © 2012 Brenner et al. Used with permission. Published under Creative Commons License 4.0.

Recommended Citation

Abbott, Allison L.; Brenner, John L.; and Kemp, Benedict J., "The mir-51 Family of MicroRNAs Functions in Diverse Regulatory Pathways in Caenorhbditis elegans" (2012). Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications. 108.
https://epublications.marquette.edu/bio_fac/108