An ENU-induced mutation of miR-96 associated with progressive hearing loss in mice.
Progressive hearing loss is common in the human population, but little is known about the molecular basis. We report a new N-ethyl-N-nitrosurea (ENU)-induced mouse mutant, diminuendo, with a single base change in the seed region of Mirn96. Heterozygotes show progressive loss of hearing and hair cell anomalies, whereas homozygotes have no cochlear responses. Most microRNAs are believed to downregulate target genes by binding to specific sites on their mRNAs, so mutation of the seed should lead to target gene upregulation. Microarray analysis revealed 96 transcripts with significantly altered expression in homozygotes; notably, Slc26a5, Ocm, Gfi1, Ptprq and Pitpnm1 were downregulated. Hypergeometric P-value analysis showed that hundreds of genes were upregulated in mutants. Different genes, with target sites complementary to the mutant seed, were downregulated. This is the first microRNA found associated with deafness, and diminuendo represents a model for understanding and potentially moderating progressive hair cell degeneration in hearing loss more generally.
Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, UK.
Morag A
MA
Lewis
Elizabeth
E
Quint
Anne M
AM
Glazier
Helmut
H
Fuchs
Martin Hrabé
MH
De Angelis
Cordelia
C
Langford
Stijn
S
van Dongen
Cei
C
Abreu-Goodger
Matias
M
Piipari
Nick
N
Redshaw
Tamas
T
Dalmay
Miguel Angel
MA
Moreno-Pelayo
Anton J
AJ
Enright
Karen P
KP
Steel
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D005038:Ethylnitrosourea / Q000633:toxicity*; D006198:Hair Cells, Auditory / Q000378:metabolism; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D006579:Heterozygote; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D014162:Transfection
D035683:MicroRNAs; C541554:Mirn96 microRNA, mouse; D005038:Ethylnitrosourea