title: Translational repression by a miniature inverted-repeat transposable element in the 3' untranslated region.
abstract: Transposable elements constitute a substantial portion of eukaryotic genomes and contribute to genomic variation, function, and evolution. Miniature inverted-repeat transposable elements (MITEs), as DNA transposons, are widely distributed in plant and animal genomes. Previous studies have suggested that retrotransposons act as translational regulators; however, it remains unknown how host mRNAs are influenced by DNA transposons. Here we report a translational repression mechanism mediated by a stowaway-like MITE (sMITE) embedded in the 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) of Ghd2, a member of the CCT (CONSTANS [CO], CO-LIKE and TIMING OF CAB1) gene family in rice. Ghd2 regulates important agronomic traits, including grain number, plant height and heading date. Interestingly, the translational repression of Ghd2 by the sMITE mainly relies on Dicer-like 3a (OsDCL3a). Furthermore, other MITEs in the 3'-UTRs of different rice genes exhibit a similar effect on translational repression, thus suggesting that MITEs may exert a general regulatory function at the translational level.
authors.affiliation: National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement and National Center of Plant Gene Research (Wuhan), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.
authors.forename: Jianqiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement and National Center of Plant Gene Research (Wuhan), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.
authors.forename: Juhong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement and National Center of Plant Gene Research (Wuhan), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.|College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.
authors.forename: Kabin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement and National Center of Plant Gene Research (Wuhan), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Xing
authors.affiliation: National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement and National Center of Plant Gene Research (Wuhan), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.affiliation: National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement and National Center of Plant Gene Research (Wuhan), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.
authors.forename: Jinghua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.affiliation: National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement and National Center of Plant Gene Research (Wuhan), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.
authors.forename: Xianghua
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement and National Center of Plant Gene Research (Wuhan), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.
authors.forename: Lizhong
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-0490-1474
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xiong
mesh_terms: D020413:3' Untranslated Regions / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements / Q000235:genetics*; D035264:Flowers / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D055029:Inverted Repeat Sequences / Q000235:genetics*; D016254:Mutagenesis, Insertional; D012275:Oryza / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis
chemical_list: D020413:3' Untranslated Regions; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D010940:Plant Proteins