title: Adenylation of maternally inherited microRNAs by Wispy.
abstract: Early development depends heavily on accurate control of maternally inherited mRNAs, and yet it remains unknown how maternal microRNAs are regulated during maternal-to-zygotic transition (MZT). We here find that maternal microRNAs are highly adenylated at their 3' ends in mature oocytes and early embryos. Maternal microRNA adenylation is widely conserved in fly, sea urchin, and mouse. We identify Wispy, a noncanonical poly(A) polymerase, as the enzyme responsible for microRNA adenylation in flies. Knockout of wispy abrogates adenylation and results in microRNA accumulation in eggs, whereas overexpression of Wispy increases adenylation and reduces microRNA levels in S2 cells. Wispy interacts with Ago1 through protein-protein interaction, which may allow the effective and selective adenylation of microRNAs. Thus, adenylation may contribute to the clearance of maternally deposited microRNAs during MZT. Our work provides mechanistic insights into the regulation of maternal microRNAs and illustrates the importance of RNA tailing in development.
authors.affiliation: Center for RNA Research, Institute for Basic Science, Seoul 151-742, Korea; School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742, Korea.
authors.forename: Mihye
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Center for RNA Research, Institute for Basic Science, Seoul 151-742, Korea; School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742, Korea.
authors.forename: Yeon
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Center for RNA Research, Institute for Basic Science, Seoul 151-742, Korea; School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742, Korea.
authors.forename: Kijun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Center for RNA Research, Institute for Basic Science, Seoul 151-742, Korea; School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742, Korea.
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: Center for RNA Research, Institute for Basic Science, Seoul 151-742, Korea; School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742, Korea.
authors.forename: Jaechul
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: Center for RNA Research, Institute for Basic Science, Seoul 151-742, Korea; School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742, Korea.
authors.forename: Tuan Anh
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.affiliation: Center for RNA Research, Institute for Basic Science, Seoul 151-742, Korea; School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742, Korea.
authors.forename: Jihye
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
authors.forename: Minsun
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
authors.forename: Antonio J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Giraldez
authors.affiliation: Structural Biology Program, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Structural Biology Program, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA.
authors.forename: Dinshaw J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.affiliation: Center for RNA Research, Institute for Basic Science, Seoul 151-742, Korea; School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742, Korea. Electronic address: narrykim@snu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: V Narry
authors.initials: VN
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D060565:Argonaute Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002460:Cell Line; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000196:embryology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development*; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D055786:Gene Knockout Techniques; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009865:Oocytes / Q000254:growth & development; D011061:Poly A / Q000235:genetics*; D011062:Polynucleotide Adenylyltransferase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C489654:AGO1 protein, Drosophila; D060565:Argonaute Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D035683:MicroRNAs; D011061:Poly A; D011062:Polynucleotide Adenylyltransferase; C585000:wisp protein, Drosophila