title: Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling during gastrulation negatively modulates the abundance of microRNAs that regulate proteins required for cell migration and embryo patterning.
abstract: FGF signaling plays a pivotal role in regulating cell movements and lineage induction during gastrulation. Here we identify 44 microRNAs that are expressed in the primitive streak region of gastrula stage chicken embryos. We show that the primary effect of FGF signaling on microRNA abundance is to negatively regulate the levels of miR-let-7b, -9, -19b, -107, -130b, and -218. LIN28B inhibits microRNA processing and is positively regulated by FGF signaling. Gain- and loss-of-function experiments show that LIN28B negatively regulates the expression of miR-19b, -130b, and let-7b, whereas negative modulation of miR-9, -107, and -218 appears to be independent of LIN28B function. Predicted mRNA targets of the FGF-regulated microRNAs are over-represented in serine/threonine and tyrosine kinase receptors, including ACVR1, ACVR2B, PDGFRA, TGFBR1, and TGFBR3. Luciferase assays show that these and other candidates are targeted by FGF-regulated microRNAs. PDGFRA, a receptor whose activity is required for cell migration through the primitive streak, is a target of miR-130b and -218 in vivo. These results identify a novel mechanism by which FGF signaling regulates gene expression by negatively modulating microRNA abundance through both LIN28B-dependent and LIN28B-independent pathways.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85724, USA.
authors.forename: Alexander S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Bobbs
authors.forename: Aleksi V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Saarela
authors.forename: Tatiana A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Yatskievych
authors.forename: Parker B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Antin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019521:Body Patterning / Q000235:genetics; D002465:Cell Movement; D002642:Chick Embryo; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D005775:Gastrula / Q000378:metabolism; D054262:Gastrulation; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000378:metabolism; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D035683:MicroRNAs; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases