title: Pou1f1, the key transcription factor related to somatic growth in tilapia (Orechromis niloticus), is regulated by two independent post-transcriptional regulation mechanisms.
abstract: This study aims to determine the post-transcriptional regulation mechanism of the transcription factor pou1f1 (pou class 1 homeobox 1), which is the key gene for pituitary development, somatic growth in vertebrates, and transcription of several hormone genes in teleost fish. MicroRNA miR-223-3p was identified as a bona fide target of pou1f; overexpression of miR-223-3p in primary pituitary cells led to the down-regulation of pou1f1 and downstream genes, and inhibition of miR-223-3p led to the up-regulation of pou1f1 in Nile tilapia dispersed primary pituitary cells. An adenylate-uridylate-rich element (AU-Rich element) was found in the 3'UTR of pou1f1 mRNA, and deletion of the AU-Rich element led to slower mRNA decay and therefore more protein output. A potential mutual relationship between miR-223-3p and the AU-rich element was also investigated, and the results demonstrated that with or without the AU-Rich element, miR-223-3p induced the up-regulation of a reporter system under serum starvation conditions, indicating that miR-223-3p and the AU-Rich element function independent of each other. This study is the first to investigate the post-transcriptional mechanism of pou1f1, which revealed that miR-223-3p down-regulated pou1f1 and downstream gene expressions, and the AU-Rich element led to rapid decay of pou1f1 mRNA. MicroRNA miR-223-3p and the AU-Rich element co-regulated the post-transcriptional expression of pou1f1 independently in Nile tilapia, demonstrating that pou1f1 is under the control of a dual post-transcription regulation mechanism.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Institute of Aquatic Economic Animals and Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Aquatic Economic Animals, South China Sea Bio-Resource Exploitation and Collaborative Innovation Center, Research Institute of Sun Yat-Sen University in Shen Zhen, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510006, PR China.
authors.forename: Dongfang
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Institute of Aquatic Economic Animals and Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Aquatic Economic Animals, South China Sea Bio-Resource Exploitation and Collaborative Innovation Center, Research Institute of Sun Yat-Sen University in Shen Zhen, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510006, PR China.
authors.forename: Jingkai
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Institute of Aquatic Economic Animals and Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Aquatic Economic Animals, South China Sea Bio-Resource Exploitation and Collaborative Innovation Center, Research Institute of Sun Yat-Sen University in Shen Zhen, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510006, PR China.
authors.forename: Jirong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Institute of Aquatic Economic Animals and Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Aquatic Economic Animals, South China Sea Bio-Resource Exploitation and Collaborative Innovation Center, Research Institute of Sun Yat-Sen University in Shen Zhen, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510006, PR China.
authors.forename: Peipei
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Institute of Aquatic Economic Animals and Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Aquatic Economic Animals, South China Sea Bio-Resource Exploitation and Collaborative Innovation Center, Research Institute of Sun Yat-Sen University in Shen Zhen, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510006, PR China. Electronic address: lsslws@mail.sysu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Wensheng
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D020413:3' Untranslated Regions; D000818:Animals; D003609:Dactinomycin / Q000737:chemistry; D015536:Down-Regulation; D029941:Fish Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D020868:Gene Silencing; D057809:HEK293 Cells; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000378:metabolism; D010957:Plasmids / Q000378:metabolism; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D017210:Tilapia / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D020413:3' Untranslated Regions; D029941:Fish Proteins; D035683:MicroRNAs; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D003609:Dactinomycin
keywords: AU-Rich element; Nile tilapia; Post-transcription regulation; Pou1f1; miR-223-3p