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Non-coding stem-bulge RNAs are required for cell proliferation and embryonic development in C. elegans.
Madzia P Kowalski1, Howard A Baylis1, Torsten Krude2
1Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, UK.
Journal of Cell Science
|April 25, 2015
Summary
Stem bulge RNAs (sbRNAs) are essential for DNA replication initiation and early development in nematodes. This study reveals their crucial role in S phase progression and organism viability.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Developmental Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Stem bulge RNAs (sbRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs found in nematodes.
- The function of sbRNAs has remained largely unknown prior to this study.
- Vertebrate Y RNAs share limited sequence similarity and are involved in DNA replication initiation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To functionally characterize nematode stem bulge RNAs (sbRNAs).
- To investigate the role of sbRNAs in DNA replication and embryonic development.
- To determine if the function of sbRNAs extends beyond vertebrates.
Main Methods:
- In vitro reconstitution assays using sbRNAs and replication proteins.
- Identification of essential nucleotide sequence motifs for sbRNA function.
- Functional inactivation of sbRNAs using antisense morpholino oligonucleotides in vivo.
Main Results:
- Nematode sbRNAs can reconstitute the initiation of chromosomal DNA replication in vitro.
- Conserved nucleotide sequence motifs within sbRNAs are critical for replication initiation.
- In vivo inactivation of sbRNAs impairs S phase progression, embryonic development, and viability in C. elegans.
Conclusions:
- sbRNAs play a novel and essential role in the early development of C. elegans.
- The function of small non-coding stem-loop RNAs in DNA replication initiation is conserved across species.
- This study establishes that the essential role of these RNAs in DNA replication extends beyond vertebrates.
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