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C. elegans FBF iCLIP from spermatogenic and oogenic germlines

ABSTRACT: PUF RNA-binding proteins control stem cells in diverse species, including mammalian, arthropod, and nematode, in addition to other biological functions. The C. elegans PUF protein FBF serves as a paradigm for metazoan PUFs. FBF is essential for the maintenance of germline stem cells but also regulates the hermpahrodite sperm/oocyte cell fate switch and is critical for the process of spermatogenesis. We have attempted to “disentangle” the different roles of FBF by comparing its targets in spermatogenic and oogenic germlines. To this end, we used FBF iCLIP to learn its binding profile in an adult hermaphrodite germline that is sexually transformed and makes only sperm due to a temperature-sensitive sex-determination mutant. As a control, we analyzed FBF iCLIP data from oogenic germlines at the same temperature. Using a modified peak calling algorithm, we identified FBF binding sites in oogenic animals at 20°C, oogenic animals at 25°C, and spermatogenic animals at 25°C. Oogenic FBF targets were similar at 20°C and 25°C. By contrast, FBF mRNA targets in spermatogenetic animals had a distinct profile, revealing sperm-specific targets that are likely critical for the FBF role in spermatogenesis. Most importantly, we found FBF bound to mRNAs regardless of germline gender. In particular, a group of 22 mRNAs clustered as bound with high frequency in a gender- and temperature-independent manner. These 22 mRNAsencode RNA-binding proteins and stem cell regulators and may be crucial for the FBF role in in stem cell maintenance.

ORGANISM(S): Caenorhabditis elegans

PROVIDER: GSE83695 | GEO | 2018/03/30

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:RNA-seq transcriptome analysis of C. elegans germlines that inherited only paternal chromosomes (non-Mendelian inheritance, 'red-head worms') and the germlines of their offspring ('offspring of red-head worms') vs. germlines that inherited both maternal and paternal chromosomes (Mendelian inheritance, HBR1280 control). Given that epigenetic marking of sperm chromosomes is faithfully transmitted through embryo cell divisions, and that sperm epigenetic marking is important in offspring, we tested if sperm epigenetic marking alone is sufficient for proper development of the germline in offspring. We utilized a mutant that, during the first embryonic division, delivers the sperm genome to the daughter cell that generates the germline and the oocyte genome to the other daughter cell (Besseling & Bringmann, 2016). This mutant over-expresses GPR-1, a protein involved in regulation of kinetochore pulling forces. GPR-1 over-expression results in excessive pulling forces, causing the paternal and maternal pronuclei to inappropriately move to opposite poles of the 1-cell embryo instead of merging in the center of the embryo. In this mutant background, ~60% of offspring undergo atypical chromosome segregation, generating mosaic embryos whose germlines are derived entirely from sperm chromosomes (Besseling & Bringmann, 2016). To track the parental genomes, differentially tagged histone transgenes were used: a GFP-tagged histone H2B encoded in the sperm genome, and a TdTomato-tagged histone H2B encoded in the oocyte genome. The mosaic embryos whose germline inherited only sperm chromosomes (‘red-head' worms) develop into fertile adults with a normal brood size, similar to control worms, in which the germline inherited both sperm and oocyte chromosomes. RNA-seq analysis demonstrated that the germline transcriptome of ‘red-head’ worms and their offspring show few (<80 genes) and minor changes compared to control worms. These findings demonstrate that epigenetic information provided by sperm can guide proper germ cell development.

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C. elegans FBF iCLIP from spermatogenic and oogenic germlines

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