Germline nuclear RNAi in C. elegans represses transgenerational inheritance of heat-induced gene transcriptional activation
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PROVIDER: PRJNA300292 | ENA |
REPOSITORIES: ENA
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Project description:Environmental stress-induced transgenerational epigenetic effects have been observed in various model organisms and human. The capacity and mechanism of such phenomena, particularly in animals, are poorly understood. In C. elegans, siRNA mediates transgenerational gene silencing through the germline nuclear RNAi pathway. At the organismal level, this pathway plays a transgenerational role in maintaining the germline immortality when C. elegans is under a mild heat stress. However, the underlying molecular mechanism is unknown. In this study, we performed a 12-generation temperature-shift experiment (15˚C->23˚C->15˚C) using the wild type (N2) and a mutant strain that lacks the germline-specific nuclear AGO protein HRDE-1/WAGO-9. We found that the temperature-sensitive mortal germline (Mrt) phenotype of the hrde-1 mutant is reversible, indicating a transgenerational cumulative but also reversible nature of the underlying molecular cause. By taking the whole-genome RNA and chromatin profiling approaches, we revealed an epigenetic role of HRDE-1 in repressing heat stress-induced transcriptional activation of over 280 genes, predominantly in or near LTR retrotransposons. Strikingly, for some of these elements, the heat stress-induced transcription becomes progressively activated in the hrde-1 mutant over several generations under heat stress. Furthermore, the effect of heat stress-induced transcription activation is heritable for at least two generations after the heat stress. Interestingly, the siRNA expression of these genes tend to be heat-inducible in the wild type animals, but not in the hrde-1 mutant, suggesting a role of siRNAs in repressing heat-inducible elements. Our study revealed a novel phenomenon of transgenerational feed-forward transcriptional activation, which is normally repressed in the wild type C. elegans by the germline nuclear RNAi pathway. It also provides a new paradigm to study epigenetic circuitry that connects the environment and gene regulation in the germline.
2016-02-01 | GSE74404 | GEO
Project description:Environmental stress-induced transgenerational epigenetic effects have been observed in various model organisms and human. The capacity and mechanism of such phenomena, particularly in animals, are poorly understood. In C. elegans, siRNA mediates transgenerational gene silencing through the germline nuclear RNAi pathway. At the organismal level, this pathway plays a transgenerational role in maintaining the germline immortality when C. elegans is under a mild heat stress. However, the underlying molecular mechanism is unknown. In this study, we performed a 12-generation temperature-shift experiment (15˚C->23˚C->15˚C) using the wild type (N2) and a mutant strain that lacks the germline-specific nuclear AGO protein HRDE-1/WAGO-9. We found that the temperature-sensitive mortal germline (Mrt) phenotype of the hrde-1 mutant is reversible, indicating a transgenerational cumulative but also reversible nature of the underlying molecular cause. By taking the whole-genome RNA and chromatin profiling approaches, we revealed an epigenetic role of HRDE-1 in repressing heat stress-induced transcriptional activation of over 280 genes, predominantly in or near LTR retrotransposons. Strikingly, for some of these elements, the heat stress-induced transcription becomes progressively activated in the hrde-1 mutant over several generations under heat stress. Furthermore, the effect of heat stress-induced transcription activation is heritable for at least two generations after the heat stress. Interestingly, the siRNA expression of these genes tend to be heat-inducible in the wild type animals, but not in the hrde-1 mutant, suggesting a role of siRNAs in repressing heat-inducible elements. Our study revealed a novel phenomenon of transgenerational feed-forward transcriptional activation, which is normally repressed in the wild type C. elegans by the germline nuclear RNAi pathway. It also provides a new paradigm to study epigenetic circuitry that connects the environment and gene regulation in the germline.
2016-02-01 | GSE74403 | GEO
Project description:Environmental stress-induced transgenerational epigenetic effects have been observed in various model organisms and human. The capacity and mechanism of such phenomena, particularly in animals, are poorly understood. In C. elegans, siRNA mediates transgenerational gene silencing through the germline nuclear RNAi pathway. At the organismal level, this pathway plays a transgenerational role in maintaining the germline immortality when C. elegans is under a mild heat stress. However, the underlying molecular mechanism is unknown. In this study, we performed a 12-generation temperature-shift experiment (15˚C->23˚C->15˚C) using the wild type (N2) and a mutant strain that lacks the germline-specific nuclear AGO protein HRDE-1/WAGO-9. We found that the temperature-sensitive mortal germline (Mrt) phenotype of the hrde-1 mutant is reversible, indicating a transgenerational cumulative but also reversible nature of the underlying molecular cause. By taking the whole-genome RNA and chromatin profiling approaches, we revealed an epigenetic role of HRDE-1 in repressing heat stress-induced transcriptional activation of over 280 genes, predominantly in or near LTR retrotransposons. Strikingly, for some of these elements, the heat stress-induced transcription becomes progressively activated in the hrde-1 mutant over several generations under heat stress. Furthermore, the effect of heat stress-induced transcription activation is heritable for at least two generations after the heat stress. Interestingly, the siRNA expression of these genes tend to be heat-inducible in the wild type animals, but not in the hrde-1 mutant, suggesting a role of siRNAs in repressing heat-inducible elements. Our study revealed a novel phenomenon of transgenerational feed-forward transcriptional activation, which is normally repressed in the wild type C. elegans by the germline nuclear RNAi pathway. It also provides a new paradigm to study epigenetic circuitry that connects the environment and gene regulation in the germline.
2016-02-01 | GSE74399 | GEO
Project description:A number of environmental factors (e.g. toxicants) have been shown to promote the epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of disease and phenotypic variation. Transgenerational inheritance requires the germline transmission of altered epigenetic information between generations in the absence of direct environmental exposures. The primary periods for epigenetic programming of the germline is associated with primordial germ cell development and during fetal gonadal sex determination. The current study examined the actions of an agricultural fungicide vinclozolin on gestating female (F0 generation) progeny in regards to the primordial germ cell (PGC) epigenetic reprogramming of the F3 generation (i.e. great-grandchildren). The F3 generation primordial germ cell transcriptome and epigenome (DNA methylation) was altered transgenerationally. Interestingly, the differential DNA methylation regions (DMR) and altered transcriptomes were distinct between the onset of gonadal sex determination at embryonic day 13 (E13) and after cord formation in the testis at embryonic day 16 (E16). A larger number of DMR and transcriptional alterations were observed in the E13 PGC than E16 germ cells. Observations demonstrate an altered transgenerational epigenetic reprogramming and function of the primordial germ cells and subsequent male germline is a component of vinclozolin induced epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of disease. Insights into the molecular control of germline transmitted epigenetic inheritance are provided. The combined observations demonstrate ancestral exposure of a gestating female during fetal gonadal sex determination can promote transgenerational alterations in the primordial germ cell and subsequent male germline epigenetic and transcriptional programming. This altered germline programming leads to the epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of disease and phenotypic variation. Observations support the role of the primordial germ cell programming in the molecular mechanism involved and provides insights into the molecular mechanisms that control the epigenetic transgenerational inheritance phenomena. Results suggest a cascade of epigenetic and transcriptional events during germ cell development is needed to obtain the mature germline epigenome that is then transmitted transgenerationally. RNA samples from PGC of 2 F3-control lineage groups were compared to PGC of 2 F3-vinclozolin lineage groups for two embryonic age E13 and E16
2013-01-17 | E-GEOD-43559 | biostudies-arrayexpress
Project description:Environmental compounds including fungicides, plastics, pesticides, dioxin and hydrocarbons can promote the epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of adult-onset disease in future generation progeny following ancestral exposure during the critical period of fetal gonadal sex determination. This study examined the actions of the pesticide methoxychlor to promote the epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of adult-onset disease and associated differential DNA methylation regions (i.e. epimutations) in sperm. Gestating F0 generation female rats were transiently exposed to methoxychlor during fetal gonadal development (gestation days 8 to 14) and then adult-onset disease was evaluated in adult F1 and F3 (great-grand offspring) generation progeny for control (vehicle exposed) and methoxychlor lineage offspring. There were increases in the incidence of kidney disease, ovary disease, and obesity in the methoxychlor lineage animals. In females and males the incidence of disease increased in both the F1 and the F3 generations and the incidence of multiple disease increased in the F3 generation. There was increased disease incidence in F4 generation reverse outcross (female) offspring indicating disease transmission was primarily transmitted through the female germline. Analysis of the F3 generation sperm epigenome of the methoxychlor lineage males identified differentially DNA methylated regions (DMR) termed epimutations in a genome-wide gene promoters analysis. These epimutations were found to be methoxychlor exposure specific in comparison with other exposure specific sperm epimutation signatures. Observations indicate that the pesticide methoxychlor has the potential to promote the epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of disease and the sperm epimutations appear to provide exposure specific epigenetic biomarkers for transgenerational disease and ancestral environmental exposures. Methylated sperm DNA was isolated from rats ancestrally exposed to methoxychlor. Three independent samples from each treatment group were obtained. Differential DNA methylation between treatment groups was determined using Nimblegen microarrays. Treated samples were paired with control samples and hybridized together on arrays, resulting in three arrays for the treatment.
2014-05-30 | E-GEOD-58091 | biostudies-arrayexpress
Project description:A number of environmental factors (e.g. toxicants) have been shown to promote the epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of disease and phenotypic variation. Transgenerational inheritance requires the germline transmission of altered epigenetic information between generations in the absence of direct environmental exposures. The primary periods for epigenetic programming of the germline is associated with primordial germ cell development and during fetal gonadal sex determination. The current study examined the actions of an agricultural fungicide vinclozolin on gestating female (F0 generation) progeny in regards to the primordial germ cell (PGC) epigenetic reprogramming of the F3 generation (i.e. great-grandchildren). The F3 generation primordial germ cell transcriptome and epigenome (DNA methylation) was altered transgenerationally. Interestingly, the differential DNA methylation regions (DMR) and altered transcriptomes were distinct between the onset of gonadal sex determination at embryonic day 13 (E13) and after cord formation in the testis at embryonic day 16 (E16). A larger number of DMR and transcriptional alterations were observed in the E13 PGC than E16 germ cells. Observations demonstrate an altered transgenerational epigenetic reprogramming and function of the primordial germ cells and subsequent male germline is a component of vinclozolin induced epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of disease. Insights into the molecular control of germline transmitted epigenetic inheritance are provided. The combined observations demonstrate ancestral exposure of a gestating female during fetal gonadal sex determination can promote transgenerational alterations in the primordial germ cell and subsequent male germline epigenetic and transcriptional programming. This altered germline programming leads to the epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of disease and phenotypic variation. Observations support the role of the primordial germ cell programming in the molecular mechanism involved and provides insights into the molecular mechanisms that control the epigenetic transgenerational inheritance phenomena. Results suggest a cascade of epigenetic and transcriptional events during germ cell development is needed to obtain the mature germline epigenome that is then transmitted transgenerationally.
2013-01-17 | GSE43559 | GEO
Project description:A number of environmental factors (e.g. toxicants) have been shown to promote the epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of disease and phenotypic variation. Transgenerational inheritance requires the germline transmission of altered epigenetic information between generations in the absence of direct environmental exposures. The primary periods for epigenetic programming of the germ line are those associated with primordial germ cell development and subsequent fetal germline development. The current study examined the actions of an agricultural fungicide vinclozolin on gestating female (F0 generation) progeny in regards to the primordial germ cell (PGC) epigenetic reprogramming of the F3 generation (i.e. great-grandchildren). The F3 generation germline transcriptome and epigenome (DNA methylation) were altered transgenerationally. Interestingly, disruptions in DNA methylation patterns and altered transcriptomes were distinct between germ cells at the onset of gonadal sex determination at embryonic day 13 (E13) and after cord formation in the testis at embryonic day 16 (E16). A larger number of DNA methylation abnormalities (epimutations) and transcriptional alterations were observed in the E13 germ cells than in the E16 germ cells. These observations indicate that altered transgenerational epigenetic reprogramming and function of the male germline is a component of vinclozolin induced epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of disease. Insights into the molecular control of germline transmitted epigenetic inheritance are provided.
2014-07-17 | GSE59510 | GEO
Project description:Environmental compounds including fungicides, plastics, pesticides, dioxin and hydrocarbons can promote the epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of adult-onset disease in future generation progeny following ancestral exposure during the critical period of fetal gonadal sex determination. This study examined the actions of the pesticide methoxychlor to promote the epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of adult-onset disease and associated differential DNA methylation regions (i.e. epimutations) in sperm. Gestating F0 generation female rats were transiently exposed to methoxychlor during fetal gonadal development (gestation days 8 to 14) and then adult-onset disease was evaluated in adult F1 and F3 (great-grand offspring) generation progeny for control (vehicle exposed) and methoxychlor lineage offspring. There were increases in the incidence of kidney disease, ovary disease, and obesity in the methoxychlor lineage animals. In females and males the incidence of disease increased in both the F1 and the F3 generations and the incidence of multiple disease increased in the F3 generation. There was increased disease incidence in F4 generation reverse outcross (female) offspring indicating disease transmission was primarily transmitted through the female germline. Analysis of the F3 generation sperm epigenome of the methoxychlor lineage males identified differentially DNA methylated regions (DMR) termed epimutations in a genome-wide gene promoters analysis. These epimutations were found to be methoxychlor exposure specific in comparison with other exposure specific sperm epimutation signatures. Observations indicate that the pesticide methoxychlor has the potential to promote the epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of disease and the sperm epimutations appear to provide exposure specific epigenetic biomarkers for transgenerational disease and ancestral environmental exposures.
2014-05-30 | GSE58091 | GEO
Project description:A number of environmental factors (e.g. toxicants) have been shown to promote the epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of disease and phenotypic variation. Transgenerational inheritance requires the germline transmission of altered epigenetic information between generations in the absence of direct environmental exposures. The primary periods for epigenetic programming of the germ line are those associated with primordial germ cell development and subsequent fetal germline development. The current study examined the actions of an agricultural fungicide vinclozolin on gestating female (F0 generation) progeny in regards to the primordial germ cell (PGC) epigenetic reprogramming of the F3 generation (i.e. great-grandchildren). The F3 generation germline transcriptome and epigenome (DNA methylation) were altered transgenerationally. Interestingly, disruptions in DNA methylation patterns and altered transcriptomes were distinct between germ cells at the onset of gonadal sex determination at embryonic day 13 (E13) and after cord formation in the testis at embryonic day 16 (E16). A larger number of DNA methylation abnormalities (epimutations) and transcriptional alterations were observed in the E13 germ cells than in the E16 germ cells. These observations indicate that altered transgenerational epigenetic reprogramming and function of the male germline is a component of vinclozolin induced epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of disease. Insights into the molecular control of germline transmitted epigenetic inheritance are provided. The F0 generation females were exposed to a vehicle (dimethylsulfoxide DMSO) as control or to vinclozolin, as described in the Methods. The F1 generation offspring were bred to generate the F2 generation and the F2 generation offspring were bred to generate the F3 generation offspring. The timed pregnant F2 generation females were used to isolate the F3 generation control and vinclozolin lineage fetal gonads at the E13 and E16 time points. The F3 generation E13 PGC and E16 prospermatogonia were isolated. DNA was isolated from the freshly isolated cells to examine DNA methylation by methylated DNA immunoprecipitation (MeDIP) followed by analysis on a genome-wide promoter tiling array (Chip) using a comparative hybridization MeDIP-Chip analysis between control and vinclozolin lineage samples as described in Methods. This allowed a comparison of the epigenome alterations in F3 vinclozolin lineage germ cells at E13 and E16. Three separate experimental comparisons of control and vinclozolin-lineage animals involving different germ cell isolations were analyzed with three different MeDIP-Chip analyses at each time point.
2014-07-17 | E-GEOD-59510 | biostudies-arrayexpress
Project description:In C.elegans, disruption of the chromatin landscape produces transgenerational effects, such as inherited increase in lifespan and gradual loss of fertility. Inheritance of histone modifications can be induced by double strand RNA-derived heritable small RNAs. We show that the mortal germline phenotype which is typical to met-2 mutants, defective in H3K9 methylation, depends on HRDE-1, an argonaute that carries small RNAs across generations, and is accompanied by accumulated transgenerational misexpression of heritable small RNAs. We discovered that MET-2 inhibits small RNA inheritance, and as a consequence, induction of RNAi in met-2 mutants leads to permanent RNAi responses that do not terminate even after more than 30 generations. We found that potentiation of heritable RNAi in met-2 animals results from global hyperactivation of the small RNA inheritance machinery. Thus, changes in histone modifications can give rise to drastic transgenerational epigenetic effects, by controlling the overall potency of small RNA inheritance.
2017-03-30 | GSE94798 | GEO