A satellite repeat-derived piRNA controls embryonic development of Aedes

Tandem repeat elements such as the diverse class of satellite repeats occupy large parts of eukaryotic chromosomes, mostly at centromeric, pericentromeric, telomeric and subtelomeric regions . However, some elements are located in euchromatic regions throughout the genome and have been hypothesized...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nature (London) 2020-04, Vol.580 (7802), p.274-277
Main Authors: Halbach, Rebecca, Miesen, Pascal, Joosten, Joep, Taşköprü, Ezgi, Rondeel, Inge, Pennings, Bas, Vogels, Chantal B F, Merkling, Sarah H, Koenraadt, Constantianus J, Lambrechts, Louis, van Rij, Ronald P
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aedes - embryology
Aedes - genetics
Aedes aegypti
Analysis
Animals
Base Sequence
Chromatin
Chromosomes
Control
Deactivation
DNA, Satellite - genetics
Egg laying
Embryogenesis
Embryonic development
Embryonic growth stage
Female
Gene expression
Gene Silencing
Genetic aspects
Genomes
Inactivation
Insects
MicroRNAs
Mosquitoes
RNA, Small Interfering - genetics
Satellites
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Summary:Tandem repeat elements such as the diverse class of satellite repeats occupy large parts of eukaryotic chromosomes, mostly at centromeric, pericentromeric, telomeric and subtelomeric regions . However, some elements are located in euchromatic regions throughout the genome and have been hypothesized to regulate gene expression in cis by modulating local chromatin structure, or in trans via transcripts derived from the repeats . Here we show that a satellite repeat in the mosquito Aedes aegypti promotes sequence-specific gene silencing via the expression of two PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs). Whereas satellite repeats and piRNA sequences generally evolve extremely quickly , this locus was conserved for approximately 200 million years, suggesting that it has a central function in mosquito biology. piRNA production commenced shortly after egg laying, and inactivation of the more abundant piRNA resulted in failure to degrade maternally deposited transcripts in the zygote and developmental arrest. Our results reveal a mechanism by which satellite repeats regulate global gene expression in trans via piRNA-mediated gene silencing that is essential for embryonic development.
ISSN:0028-0836
1476-4687
DOI:10.1038/s41586-020-2159-2