Project description:The piRNA pathway is a conserved small RNA-based immune system that protects animal germ cell genomes from the harmful effects of transposon mobilisation. In Drosophila ovaries, most piRNAs originate from dual-strand clusters, which generate piRNAs from both genomic strands. Dual-strand clusters use non-canonical transcription mechanisms. Although transcribed by RNA polymerase II, cluster transcripts lack splicing signatures and polyA tails. mRNA processing is important for general mRNA export mediated by Nuclear export factor 1. Although UAP56, a component of the transcription and export complex, has been implicated in piRNA precursor export, it remains unknown how dual-strand cluster transcripts are specifically targeted for piRNA biogenesis by export from the nucleus to cytoplasmic processing centers. Here we report that dual-strand cluster transcript export requires CG13741/Bootlegger and the Drosophila Nuclear export factor family protein, Nxf3. Bootlegger is specifically recruited to piRNA clusters and in turn brings Nxf3. We find that Nxf3 specifically binds to piRNA precursors and is essential for their export to piRNA biogenesis sites, a process that is critical for germline transposon silencing. Our data shed light on how dual-strand clusters bypass canonical mRNA features to be specifically exported via Nxf3, ensuring proper piRNA production
Project description:The piRNA pathway is a small RNA-based immune system that silences mobile genetic elements in animal germlines. In Drosophila ovaries, piRNAs are produced from discrete genomic loci, called piRNA clusters, which are composed of inactive transposon copies and fragments and thus constitute a genetically encoded memory of past transposon challenges. Two types of piRNA clusters exist in flies: dual-strand clusters, expressed only in the germline via a highly specialised machinery, and uni-strand cluster, which are predominantly expressed in the somatic follicle cells. Flamenco (flam) is the major uni-strand piRNA cluster in Drosophila, giving rise to the majority of somatic piRNAs. Flam resembles a canonical RNA polymerase II transcriptional unit, nonetheless it can be specifically recognised by the piRNA pathway and directed to the biogenesis machinery. Recent work has implicated the RNA helicase Yb in the licensing of somatic piRNA production, however a detailed understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying flam export and specification is still lacking. Here, we show that flam export triggers the assembly of peri-nuclear condensates of Yb and provide evidence that piRNA production from flam specifically requires subunits of the Nuclear Pore Complex (NPC). In the absence of some NPC subunits, transposons become de-silenced and piRNA biogenesis is compromised exclusively from flam. We also show that Yb transiently associates with the NPC to promote flam export. Taken together, our data shed light on how the export of uni-strand cluster transcripts is achieved and suggest the evolution of a specialised machinery that couples transcription, nuclear export and piRNA production.
Project description:The piRNA pathway is a small RNA-based immune system that silences mobile genetic elements in animal germlines. In Drosophila ovaries, piRNAs are produced from discrete genomic loci, called piRNA clusters, which are composed of inactive transposon copies and fragments and thus constitute a genetically encoded memory of past transposon challenges. Two types of piRNA clusters exist in flies: dual-strand clusters, expressed only in the germline via a highly specialised machinery, and uni-strand cluster, which are predominantly expressed in the somatic follicle cells. Flamenco (flam) is the major uni-strand piRNA cluster in Drosophila, giving rise to the majority of somatic piRNAs. Flam resembles a canonical RNA polymerase II transcriptional unit, nonetheless it can be specifically recognised by the piRNA pathway and directed to the biogenesis machinery. Recent work has implicated the RNA helicase Yb in the licensing of somatic piRNA production, however a detailed understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying flam export and specification is still lacking. Here, we show that flam export triggers the assembly of peri-nuclear condensates of Yb and provide evidence that piRNA production from flam specifically requires subunits of the Nuclear Pore Complex (NPC). In the absence of some NPC subunits, transposons become de-silenced and piRNA biogenesis is compromised exclusively from flam. We also show that Yb transiently associates with the NPC to promote flam export. Taken together, our data shed light on how the export of uni-strand cluster transcripts is achieved and suggest the evolution of a specialised machinery that couples transcription, nuclear export and piRNA production.
Project description:The piRNA pathway is a small RNA-based immune system that silences mobile genetic elements in animal germlines. In Drosophila ovaries, piRNAs are produced from discrete genomic loci, called piRNA clusters, which are composed of inactive transposon copies and fragments and thus constitute a genetically encoded memory of past transposon challenges. Two types of piRNA clusters exist in flies: dual-strand clusters, expressed only in the germline via a highly specialised machinery, and uni-strand cluster, which are predominantly expressed in the somatic follicle cells. Flamenco (flam) is the major uni-strand piRNA cluster in Drosophila, giving rise to the majority of somatic piRNAs. Flam resembles a canonical RNA polymerase II transcriptional unit, nonetheless it can be specifically recognised by the piRNA pathway and directed to the biogenesis machinery. Recent work has implicated the RNA helicase Yb in the licensing of somatic piRNA production, however a detailed understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying flam export and specification is still lacking. Here, we show that flam export triggers the assembly of peri-nuclear condensates of Yb and provide evidence that piRNA production from flam specifically requires subunits of the Nuclear Pore Complex (NPC). In the absence of some NPC subunits, transposons become de-silenced and piRNA biogenesis is compromised exclusively from flam. We also show that Yb transiently associates with the NPC to promote flam export. Taken together, our data shed light on how the export of uni-strand cluster transcripts is achieved and suggest the evolution of a specialised machinery that couples transcription, nuclear export and piRNA production.
Project description:Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) control transposable element (TE) activity in the germline. piRNAs are produced from single-stranded precursors transcribed from distinct genomic loci, enriched by TE fragments and termed piRNA clusters. The specific chromatin organization and transcriptional regulation of Drosophila germline-specific piRNA clusters ensure transcription and processing of piRNA precursors. TEs harbour various regulatory elements that could affect piRNA cluster integrity. One of such elements is the suppressor-of-hairy-wing (Su(Hw))-mediated insulator, which is harboured in the retrotransposon gypsy. To understand how insulators contribute to piRNA cluster activity, we studied the effects of transgenes containing gypsy insulators on local organization of endogenous piRNA clusters. We show that transgene insertions interfere with piRNA precursor transcription, small RNA production and the formation of piRNA cluster-specific chromatin, a hallmark of which is Rhino, the germline homolog of the heterochromatin protein 1 (HP1). The mutations of Su(Hw) restored the integrity of piRNA clusters in transgenic strains. Surprisingly, Su(Hw) depletion enhanced the production of piRNAs by the domesticated telomeric retrotransposon TART, indicating that Su(Hw)-dependent elements protect TART transcripts from piRNA processing machinery in telomeres. A genome-wide analysis revealed that Su(Hw)-binding sites are depleted in endogenous germline piRNA clusters, suggesting that their functional integrity is under strict evolutionary constraints.