title: mTAIL-seq reveals dynamic poly(A) tail regulation in oocyte-to-embryo development.
abstract: Eukaryotic mRNAs are subject to multiple types of tailing that critically influence mRNA stability and translatability. To investigate RNA tails at the genomic scale, we previously developed TAIL-seq, but its low sensitivity precluded its application to biological materials of minute quantity. In this study, we report a new version of TAIL-seq (mRNA TAIL-seq [mTAIL-seq]) with enhanced sequencing depth for mRNAs (by ∼1000-fold compared with the previous version). The improved method allows us to investigate the regulation of poly(A) tails in Drosophila oocytes and embryos. We found that maternal mRNAs are polyadenylated mainly during late oogenesis, prior to fertilization, and that further modulation occurs upon egg activation. Wispy, a noncanonical poly(A) polymerase, adenylates the vast majority of maternal mRNAs, with a few intriguing exceptions such as ribosomal protein transcripts. By comparing mTAIL-seq data with ribosome profiling data, we found a strong coupling between poly(A) tail length and translational efficiency during egg activation. Our data suggest that regulation of poly(A) tails in oocytes shapes the translatomic landscape of embryos, thereby directing the onset of animal development. By virtue of the high sensitivity, low cost, technical robustness, and broad accessibility, mTAIL-seq will be a potent tool to improve our understanding of mRNA tailing in diverse biological systems.
authors.affiliation: Center for RNA Research, Institute for Basic Science, Seoul 08826, Korea; School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea.
authors.forename: Jaechul
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: Center for RNA Research, Institute for Basic Science, Seoul 08826, Korea; School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea.
authors.forename: Mihye
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Center for RNA Research, Institute for Basic Science, Seoul 08826, Korea; School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea.
authors.forename: Ahyeon
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Son
authors.affiliation: Center for RNA Research, Institute for Basic Science, Seoul 08826, Korea; School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyeshik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Center for RNA Research, Institute for Basic Science, Seoul 08826, Korea; School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea.
authors.forename: V Narry
authors.initials: VN
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004330:Drosophila / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000378:metabolism; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D009865:Oocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D011061:Poly A / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D026723:Polyadenylation; D011062:Polynucleotide Adenylyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D012270:Ribosomes / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017423:Sequence Analysis, RNA / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011061:Poly A; D011062:Polynucleotide Adenylyltransferase; C585000:wisp protein, Drosophila
keywords: Drosophila; TAIL-seq; cytoplasmic polyadenylation; egg activation; oogenesis; poly(A) tail