Specific microRNAs regulate heat stress responses in Caenorhabditis elegans.
The ability of animals to sense and respond to elevated temperature is essential for survival. Transcriptional control of the heat stress response has been much studied, whereas its posttranscriptional regulation by microRNAs (miRNAs) is not well understood. Here we analyzed the miRNA response to heat stress in Caenorhabditis elegans and show that a discrete subset of miRNAs is thermoregulated. Using in-depth phenotypic analyses of miRNA deletion mutant strains we reveal multiple developmental and post-developmental survival and behavioral functions for specific miRNAs during heat stress. We have identified additional functions for already known players (mir-71 and mir-239) as well as identifying mir-80 and the mir-229 mir-64-66 cluster as important regulators of the heat stress response in C. elegans. These findings uncover an additional layer of complexity to the regulation of stress signaling that enables animals to robustly respond to the changing environment.
Biotech Research and Innovation Centre, University of Copenhagen, Ole Maaløes Vej 5, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Camilla
C
Nehammer
Biotech Research and Innovation Centre, University of Copenhagen, Ole Maaløes Vej 5, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Agnieszka
A
Podolska
Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine, Robert-Rössle-Straße 10, 13125, Berlin.
Sebastian D
SD
Mackowiak
Biotech Research and Innovation Centre, University of Copenhagen, Ole Maaløes Vej 5, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Konstantinos
K
Kagias
1] Biotech Research and Innovation Centre, University of Copenhagen, Ole Maaløes Vej 5, Copenhagen, Denmark [2] Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Biomedical and Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
Roger
R
Pocock
D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000502:physiology*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000235:genetics*; D018869:Heat-Shock Response / Q000502:physiology*; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000502:physiology*; D015533:Transcriptional Activation / Q000502:physiology*
D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D035683:MicroRNAs