Endogenous TasiRNAs mediate non-cell autonomous effects on gene regulation in Arabidopsis thaliana

Schwab, R., Maizel, A., Ruiz-Ferrer, V., Garcia, D., Bayer, M., Crespi, M., Voinnet, O., Martienssen, R. A. (June 2009) Endogenous TasiRNAs mediate non-cell autonomous effects on gene regulation in Arabidopsis thaliana. PloS one, 4 (6). e5980. ISSN 1932-6203 (Electronic)1932-6203 (Linking)

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URL: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19543387
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0005980

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Different classes of small RNAs (sRNAs) refine the expression of numerous genes in higher eukaryotes by directing protein partners to complementary nucleic acids, where they mediate gene silencing. Plants encode a unique class of sRNAs, called trans-acting small interfering RNAs (tasiRNAs), which post-transcriptionally regulate protein-coding transcripts, as do microRNAs (miRNAs), and both sRNA classes control development through their targets. TasiRNA biogenesis requires multiple components of the siRNA pathway and also miRNAs. But while 21mer siRNAs originating from transgenes can mediate silencing across several cell layers, miRNA action seems spatially restricted to the producing or closely surrounding cells. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We have previously described the isolation of a genetrap reporter line for TAS3a, the major locus producing AUXIN RESPONS FACTOR (ARF)-regulating tasiRNAs in the Arabidopsis shoot. Its activity is limited to the adaxial (upper) side of leaf primordia, thus spatially isolated from ARF-activities, which are located in the abaxial (lower) side. We show here by in situ hybridization and reporter fusions that the silencing activities of ARF-regulating tasiRNAs are indeed manifested non-cell autonomously to spatially control ARF activities. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Endogenous tasiRNAs are thus mediators of a mobile developmental signal and might provide effective gene silencing at a distance beyond the reach of most miRNAs.

Item Type: Paper
Uncontrolled Keywords: Arabidopsis genetics Arabidopsis Proteins genetics metabolism Base Sequence Gene Expression Profiling Gene Expression Regulation Plant Genome Plant MicroRNAs metabolism Microscopy Confocal Models Genetic Molecular Sequence Data Plant Leaves metabolism Plants, Genetically Modified RNA Small Interfering metabolism Transcriptional Activation
Subjects: organism description > plant > Arabidopsis
bioinformatics
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > DNA, RNA structure, function, modification
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > DNA, RNA structure, function, modification > genes, structure and function > gene regulation
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > DNA, RNA structure, function, modification > genes, structure and function > gene regulation
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > DNA, RNA structure, function, modification > genes, structure and function
organism description > plant
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > DNA, RNA structure, function, modification > sRNA
CSHL Authors:
Communities: CSHL labs > Martienssen lab
Depositing User: Matt Covey
Date: 19 June 2009
Date Deposited: 21 Feb 2013 16:04
Last Modified: 21 Feb 2013 16:04
PMCID: PMC2694355
Related URLs:
URI: https://repository.cshl.edu/id/eprint/27369

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