Project description:Transgenes containing a fragment of I transposon represent a powerful model of piRNA cluster de novo formation in the Drosophila germline. We revealed that the same transgenes located at different genomic loci form piRNA clusters with various capacity of small RNA production. Transgenic piRNA clusters are not established in piRNA pathway mutants. However, in wild-type context, the endogenous ancestral I-related piRNAs are sufficient to heterochromatinize and convert the I-containing transgenes into piRNA-producing loci. Here, we address how the quantitative level of piRNAs influences the heterochromatinization and piRNA production. We show that neither the piRNAs mediated by active I-element copies nor inheritance of abundant maternal I-derived piRNAs enable to stimulate additional changes of transgenes chromatin state or piRNA production from them. Therefore, chromatin changes and piRNA production are initiated by a minimum threshold level of complementary piRNAs suggesting a selective advantage of prompt cell response to the lowest level of piRNAs. Noteworthy, the weak piRNA clusters do not transform into strong ones after being targeted by a larger amount of I-specific piRNAs, indicating the importance of the genomic context for piRNA cluster establishment. Analysis of ovarian transcription profiles suggests that regions facilitating convergent transcription favor formation of transgenic piRNA clusters .
Project description:Transposons evolve rapidly and can mobilize and trigger genetic instability. piRNAs silence these genome pathogens, but it is unclear how the piRNA pathway adapts to new transposons. In Drosophila piRNAs, encoded by heterochromatic clusters are maternally deposited in the embryo. Paternally inherited P-element transposons thus escape silencing and trigger a genetic instability and sterility. We show that this syndrome, termed P-M hybrid dysgenesis, also disrupts the piRNA biogenesis machinery and activates resident transposons. As dysgenic hybrids age, however, fertility is restored, P-elements are silenced, and P-element piRNAs are produced de novo. In addition, the piRNA biogenesis machinery is restored and resident elements are silenced. Significantly, new resident transposons insertions accumulate in piRNA clusters, and these new insertions are transmitted to progeny with high fidelity, produce novel piRNAs, and are associated with reduced transposition. P-M hybrid dysgenesis thus leads to heritable changes in chromosome structure that appear to enhance transposon silencing. 3 replicates of each sample (Har 2-4 days, w1 x Har 2-4 days, w1 x Har 21 days), total RNA samples hybridized to tiling array.
Project description:Transposons evolve rapidly and can mobilize and trigger genetic instability. piRNAs silence these genome pathogens, but it is unclear how the piRNA pathway adapts to new transposons. In Drosophila piRNAs, encoded by heterochromatic clusters are maternally deposited in the embryo. Paternally inherited P-element transposons thus escape silencing and trigger a genetic instability and sterility. We show that this syndrome, termed P-M hybrid dysgenesis, also disrupts the piRNA biogenesis machinery and activates resident transposons. As dysgenic hybrids age, however, fertility is restored, P-elements are silenced, and P-element piRNAs are produced de novo. In addition, the piRNA biogenesis machinery is restored and resident elements are silenced. Significantly, new resident transposons insertions accumulate in piRNA clusters, and these new insertions are transmitted to progeny with high fidelity, produce novel piRNAs, and are associated with reduced transposition. P-M hybrid dysgenesis thus leads to heritable changes in chromosome structure that appear to enhance transposon silencing.
Project description:Expression of transposable elements in the germline is controlled by Piwi-interacting (pi) RNAs produced by genomic loci termed piRNA clusters and associated with Rhino, a Heterochromatin Protein 1 (HP1) homolog. Previously, we have shown that transgenes containing a fragment of the I retrotransposon form de novo piRNA clusters in the Drosophila germline providing suppression of I-element activity. We noted that identical transgenes located in different genomic sites vary considerably in piRNA production and classified them as “strong” and “weak” piRNA clusters. Here, we investigated what chromatin and transcriptional changes occur at the transgene insertion sites after their conversion into piRNA clusters. We found that the formation of a transgenic piRNA cluster is accompanied by activation of transcription from both genomic strands that likely initiates at multiple random sites. The chromatin of all transgene-associated piRNA clusters contain high levels of trimethylated lysine 9 of histone H3 (H3K9me3) and HP1a, whereas Rhino binding is considerably higher at the strong clusters. None of these chromatin marks was revealed at the “empty” sites before transgene insertion. Finally, we have shown that in the nucleus of polyploid nurse cells, the formation of a piRNA cluster at a given transgenic genomic copy works according to an “all– or– nothing” model: either there is high Rhino enrichment or there is no association with Rhino at all. As a result, genomic copies of a weak piRNA transgenic cluster show a mosaic association with Rhino foci, while the majority of strong transgene copies associate with Rhino and are hence involved in piRNA production.
Project description:Trans-generationally inherited piRNAs trigger piRNA biogenesis by changing the chromatin of piRNA clusters and inducing precursor processing [run-on]
Project description:Trans-generationally inherited piRNAs trigger piRNA biogenesis by changing the chromatin of piRNA clusters and inducing precursor processing [cuff smallRNA]
Project description:Trans-generationally inherited piRNAs trigger piRNA biogenesis by changing the chromatin of piRNA clusters and inducing precursor processing [ChIP-seq]
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.
Project description:Trans-generationally inherited piRNAs trigger piRNA biogenesis by changing the chromatin of piRNA clusters and inducing precursor processing [cuff RNA-seq]