Browse
Submit Data
Databases
API
Help

Dataset Information

0 Views

0 Connections

0 Citations

0 Reanalyses

0 Downloads

Omics score: 0

Compartmentalized RNA Surveillance Through Membraneless barriers

ABSTRACT: Biomolecular condensates are thought to compartmentalize biochemical activities, yet how they control macromolecular access without membranes remains unclear. We show that C. elegans germline condensates have distinct RNA selectivity: P granules broadly admit RNA, whereas Mutator foci associate only with RNAs destined for silencing. The Mutator scaffold MUT-16 is required for this selectivity; charge-reversal substitutions in its C-terminal LOTUS-like domain disrupt RNA exclusion, reduce fertility, and elicit promiscuous RNA silencing. Synthetic RNAs bearing piRNA target sites silence a cognate reporter in a PRG-1 dependent manner, indicating both piRNA and PIWI protein facilitate targeted RNA entry into Mutator foci. These findings support a two-tier gate: P granules admit RNA while excluding translation and silencing effectors, whereas Mutator foci act as a physical RNA barrier, excluding transcripts except those marked for piRNA silencing. Thus, scaffold physical properties enable membrane-independent RNA gating. Our research broadens the concept of selective compartmentalization beyond membranes.

ORGANISM(S): Caenorhabditis elegans

PROVIDER: GSE313358 | GEO | 2025/12/15

REPOSITORIES: GEO

ACCESS DATA

Json Xml

Dataset's files

Source:

			Action	DRS
		Other

Items per page:

1 - 1 of 1

Similar Datasets

A Tudor-domain containing protein, SIMR-1, mediates silencing of piRNA target mRNAs by the Mutator Complex

Project description:piRNAs play a critical role in the regulation of transposons and other germline genes. In Caenorhabditis elegans, silencing of piRNA target genes is mediated by the Mutator complex, which synthesizes high levels of siRNAs through the activity of an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. However, how mRNAs recognized by the piRNA pathway are handed off to the Mutator pathway is unclear. Here, we identify the Tudor domain-containing protein, SIMR-1, as a key mediator of this handoff. Interestingly, SIMR-1 also localizes to distinct subcellular foci adjacent to P granules and Mutator foci, two phase-separated condensates that are the sites of piRNA-dependent mRNA recognition and Mutator complex-dependent siRNA amplification, respectively. Thus, our data suggests a role for multiple perinuclear condensates in organizing the piRNA pathway and promoting silencing by the Mutator complex.

2020-04-27 | GSE138220 | GEO

Germ granule association drives small RNA specificity for a nuclear Argonaute protein

Project description:RNA interference (RNAi) is a conserved gene silencing process that exists in diverse organisms to protect genome integrity and regulate gene expression. In C. elegans, the majority of RNAi pathway proteins localize to perinuclear, phase-separated germ granules, which are comprised of sub-domains referred to as P granules, Mutator foci, Z granules, and SIMR foci. However, the protein components and function of the newly discovered SIMR foci are unknown. Here we demonstrate that HRDE-2 localizes to SIMR foci and interacts with the germline nuclear RNAi Argonaute HRDE-1. Furthermore, HRDE-1 also localizes to SIMR foci, dependent on HRDE-2, but only in its small RNA unbound state. This germ granule localization is critical to promote the small RNA binding specificity of HRDE-1 and, in the absence of HRDE-2, HRDE-1 exclusively loads CSR-class 22G-RNAs rather than WAGO-class 22G-RNAs, resulting in H3K9me3 deposition on CSR-target genes. Thus, our study demonstrates that HRDE-2 is critical to ensure that the correct small RNAs are used to guide nuclear RNA silencing in the C. elegans germline.

2023-07-27 | MSV000092546 | MassIVE

Nucleoporin complex NPP-14/24 shape perinuclear germ granule architecture and coordinate piRNA silencing

Project description:Germ granules are RNA-rich biomolecular condensates regulating posttranscriptional gene expression. In C. elegans, germ granules are associated with the NPC. Mechanism by which germ granules associate with the nucleus and relevant functions remain unknown. We uncovered the function of the NPP-14/24 complex in spatially organizing perinuclear germ granules and fine-tuning the piRNA-based transcriptome surveillance and the inheritance of gene silencing.

2025-04-14 | PXD051572 | Pride

GLH/VASA helicases promote germ granule formation to ensure the fidelity of piRNA-mediated transcriptome surveillance

Project description:The ability to distinguish non-self from self is the key characteristic for any defense system. piRNAs function as guardians of the genome by silencing non-self nucleic acids and transposable elements in animals. Many piRNA factors are enriched in perinuclear germ granules, but whether their localization is required for piRNA biogenesis or function is not known. Here we show that GLH/VASA helicase mutants exhibit defects in forming perinuclear condensates containing PIWI and other small RNA cofactors. These mutant animals produce largely normal levels of piRNA but are defective in triggering piRNA silencing. Strikingly, while many piRNA targets are activated in GLH mutants, we observed that hundreds of endogenous genes are aberrantly silenced by piRNAs. This defect in self versus non-self recognition was also observed in other mutants where perinuclear P granules are disrupted. Together, our results argue that perinuclear germ granules function critically to promote the fidelity of piRNA-based transcriptome surveillance in C. elegans and preserve self versus non-self distinction.

2022-08-05 | PXD033506 | Pride

Spatiotemporal regulation of liquid-like condensates in epigenetic inheritance

Project description:Non-membrane bound organelles such as nucleoli, processing bodies, cajal bodies, and germ granules form via spontaneous self-assembly of specific proteins and RNAs. How these biomolecular condensates form and interact are poorly understood. Here we identify two proteins (ZNFX-1 and WAGO-4) that localize to C. elegans germ granules (P granules) in early germline blastomeres. Later in germline development, ZNFX-1/WAGO-4 separate from P granules to define an independent liquid-like condensate that we term the Z granule. In adult germ cells, Z granules assemble into ordered tri-droplet assemblages with P granules and Mutator foci that we term the PZM granule. Finally, we show that one biological function of ZNFX-1 and WAGO-4 is to interact with RNAs in the C. elegans germline to promote transgenerational epigenetic inheritance (TEI). We speculate that the temporal and spatial ordering of liquid droplet organelles may help cells organize and coordinate the complex RNA processing pathways underlying gene regulatory systems, such as RNA-directed TEI.

2018-03-21 | GSE112109 | GEO

P bodies coat germ granules to promote transgenerational gene silencing in C. elegans

Project description:Formation of biomolecular condensates have emerged as a critical mechanism for compartmentation in living cells. Despite interactions between distinct condensates have been reported, the biological relevance of such interactions remains elusive. In germ cells, small RNA silencing factors are enriched in germ granules, which distinct factors are organized into sub-compartments with specific functions linked to genome surveillance or transgenerational gene silencing. Here we showed that perinuclear germ granules are coated by P body, another condensate known for housing untranslated mRNAs and mRNA degradation factors. Disruption of P body factors, including CGH-1/DDX6 and CAR-1/LSM14, lead to dispersal of small RNA factors from perinuclear germ granules and disorganization of sub-compartments within germ granules. We further showed that CAR-1 promote the interactions between CGH-1 with germ granule factors and such interactions are critical for CGH-1’s ability to promote piRNA-mediated gene silencing. Importantly, we observed that cgh-1 mutants are competent in triggering gene silencing but exhibit defects in maintaining gene silencing effects in the subsequent generations. Small RNA sequencing further showed that cgh-1 mutants exhibit defects in amplifying secondary small RNAs, a known carrier of gene silencing memory. Together, our results uncover the function of P body factors in small RNA-mediated transgenerational gene silencing and highlight how the formation and function of one condensate can be regulated by an adjacent, interacting condensate in cells.

2023-06-16 | PXD037342 | Pride

The TDRD5/7-like protein, LOTR-1, functions within Z granules to balance epigenetic signals in the Caenorhabditis elegans germline

Project description:LOTUS and Tudor domain containing proteins have critical roles in the germline. Proteins that contain these domains, such as Tejas/Tapas in Drosophila, help localize Vasa to the germ granules and facilitate piRNA transposon mediated silencing. The homologous proteins in mammals, TDRD5 and TDRD7, are required during spermiogenesis. Until now, LOTUS + Tudor domain proteins in C. elegans have remained elusive. Here we describe LOTR-1 (D1081.7), which derives its name from its LOTUS and Tudor domains. Interestingly, LOTR-1 docks next to P granules to colocalize with the Z-granule component ZNFX-1. LOTR-1’s Z-granule association requires its Tudor domain, but both LOTUS and Tudor deletions affect brood size when coupled with a knockdown of the Vasa homolog glh-1. LOTR-1 IP-mass spectrometry confirmed a Tudor-dependent association with Z-granule proteins ZNFX-1 and WAGO-1, but also with germ-granule proteins DEPS-1, the piRNA Argonaute PRG-1, and other WAGO-class Argonautes. Like znfx-1, lotr-1 mutants redistribute the coverage of 22G-RNAs toward the 5’ end of mutator targets and impact transgenerational epigenetic inheritance. Unlike znfx-1, the 5’ shift in 22G-RNA coverage does not extend to CSR-1 targets. Combined, these results suggest that LOTR-1 facilitates interactions between PRG-1/WAGO-class Argonautes, ZNFX-1 and target 3’UTRs to balance 22G-RNA distribution across mutator targets.

2022-05-28 | PXD025186 | Pride

Proteomics of P granules Z granules and Mutator foci in C.elegans

Project description:To examine the protein composition of germ granules subcompartments of C. elegans, while ensuring their physiological integrity, we utilized TurboID-based proximity biotin labeling techniques to idedtify the protein components of P granules, Z granules and Mutator foci in the germline of C.elegans.

2024-07-14 | PXD046498 | Pride

Germ granule association drives small RNA specificity for a nuclear Argonaute protein [mRNA-seq]

Project description:RNA interference (RNAi) is a conserved gene silencing process that exists in diverse organisms to protect genome integrity and regulate gene expression. In C. elegans, majority of RNAi components are located in phase-separated perinuclear germ granules, including P granule, Mutator foci, Z granule, and SIMR foci. However, the protein components and function of the newly discovered SIMR foci are unknown. Here we identified HRDE-2 as a SIMR foci component, which interacts with the germline nuclear RNAi Argonaute HRDE-1. We found that unloaded HRDE-1 localizes to SIMR foci and this localization depends on HRDE-2. In addition, HRDE-2 contributes to HRDE-1 small RNAs binding specificity and, in the absence of HRDE-2, HRDE-1 exclusively loads CSR-class 22G-RNAs rather than WAGO-class 22G-RNAs, promotes H3K9me3 deposition on CSR-targets, but does not silence these CSR-target genes. Thus, our study demonstrates that HRDE-2 is critical to ensure correct small RNAs are used to guide nuclear RNA silencing in the C. elegans germline.

2023-08-01 | GSE239286 | GEO

Germ granule association drives small RNA specificity for a nuclear Argonaute protein [CUT&Tag]

Project description:RNA interference (RNAi) is a conserved gene silencing process that exists in diverse organisms to protect genome integrity and regulate gene expression. In C. elegans, majority of RNAi components are located in phase-separated perinuclear germ granules, including P granule, Mutator foci, Z granule, and SIMR foci. However, the protein components and function of the newly discovered SIMR foci are unknown. Here we identified HRDE-2 as a SIMR foci component, which interacts with the germline nuclear RNAi Argonaute HRDE-1. We found that unloaded HRDE-1 localizes to SIMR foci and this localization depends on HRDE-2. In addition, HRDE-2 contributes to HRDE-1 small RNAs binding specificity and, in the absence of HRDE-2, HRDE-1 exclusively loads CSR-class 22G-RNAs rather than WAGO-class 22G-RNAs, promotes H3K9me3 deposition on CSR-targets, but does not silence these CSR-target genes. Thus, our study demonstrates that HRDE-2 is critical to ensure correct small RNAs are used to guide nuclear RNA silencing in the C. elegans germline.

2023-08-01 | GSE239285 | GEO

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

OmicsDI is an Elixir interoperability service. Learn more ›

Tweets

OmicsDI Databases

PRIDE
PeptideAtlas
MassIVE
JPOST Repository
Physiome Model Repository

EGA
EVA
ENA
LINCS
PAXDB
Cell Collective

MetaboLights
Metabolomics Workbench
MetabolomeExpress
GNPS
BioModels
FAIRDOMHub

ArrayExpress
dbGaP
ExpressionAtlas
GEO
NODE

Information

Databases
Help
API
Contact us
Code on GitHub
Terms of use
Submit Data