title: MicroRNA-10 modulates Hox genes expression during Nile tilapia embryonic development.
abstract: Hox gene clusters encode a family of transcription factors that govern anterior-posterior axis patterning during embryogenesis in all bilaterian animals. The time and place of Hox gene expression are largely determined by the relative position of each gene within its cluster. Furthermore, Hox genes were shown to have their expression fine-tuned by regulatory microRNAs (miRNAs). However, the mechanisms of miRNA-mediated regulation of these transcription factors during fish early development remain largely unknown. Here we have profiled three highly expressed miR-10 family members of Nile tilapia at early embryonic development, determined their genomic organization as well as performed functional experiments for validation of target genes. Quantitative analysis during developmental stages showed miR-10 family expression negatively correlates with the expression of HoxA3a, HoxB3a and HoxD10a genes, as expected for bona fide miRNA-mRNA interactions. Moreover, luciferase assays demonstrated that HoxB3a and HoxD10a are targeted by miR-10b-5p. Overall, our data indicate that the miR-10 family directly regulates members of the Hox gene family during Nile tilapia embryogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biosciences, Department of Morphology, Sao Paulo State University, Botucatu, Brazil. Electronic address: jugiusti@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Juliana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Giusti
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biosciences, Department of Genetics, Sao Paulo State University, Botucatu, Brazil. Electronic address: dlpinhal@ibb.unesp.br.
authors.forename: Danillo
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pinhal
authors.affiliation: The Genome Analysis Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK. Electronic address: simon.moxon@tgac.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Moxon
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biosciences, Department of Genetics, Sao Paulo State University, Botucatu, Brazil. Electronic address: camilalovaglio@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Camila Lovaglio
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Campos
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK. Electronic address: a.munsterberg@uea.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Münsterberg
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biosciences, Department of Morphology, Sao Paulo State University, Botucatu, Brazil. Electronic address: cmartins@ibb.unesp.br.
authors.forename: Cesar
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Martins
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D023681:Cichlids / Q000235:genetics*; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000235:genetics*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000235:genetics*; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D035683:MicroRNAs; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014157:Transcription Factors
keywords: Embryos; HoxA3a; HoxB3a; HoxD10a; Oreochromis niloticus; miRNA