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Published on: May 23, 2013
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MicroRNAs regulate gene plasticity during cold shock in zebrafish larvae
I-Chen Hung1, Yu-Chuan Hsiao1, H Sunny Sun2,3
1Department of Life Science, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10617, Taiwan.
BMC Genomics
|November 17, 2016
Summary
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) fine-tune gene expression to enhance cell tolerance to environmental stresses like cold shock. In zebrafish, the microRNA dre-mir-29b and core clock gene per2 interaction improves cold tolerance.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Genomics
- Environmental Stress Response
Background:
- MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are key regulators of gene expression in response to environmental stresses.
- While cold shock affects gene expression in aquatic organisms, the role of miRNAs in acute cold response remains unclear.
- This study investigates the regulatory roles of miRNAs in cold-inducible responses in fish.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify cold-responsive miRNAs and genes in fish.
- To elucidate the involvement of these miRNAs and genes in cold tolerance.
- To characterize the functional roles of circadian clock genes in cold adaptation.
Main Methods:
- Small RNA sequencing (small RNA-seq) and RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) were performed on zebrafish larvae subjected to cold shock.
- Bioinformatic analyses, including gene ontology enrichment, were used to identify regulated pathways.
- Overexpression of selected clock genes in zebrafish larvae and validation of miRNA-gene interactions were conducted.
Main Results:
- Cold shock (4h at 18°C) induced significant changes in miRNA and gene expression, with 29 up-/26 down-regulated miRNAs and 908 up-/468 down-regulated genes identified.
- Enriched pathways included melanogenesis, GnRH signaling, and the circadian rhythm.
- Overexpression of the core clock gene per2 enhanced zebrafish larval recovery from cold shock, and its interaction with the cold-inducible miRNA dre-mir-29b was validated.
Conclusions:
- MicroRNAs act as fine-tuners of genomic plasticity in response to cold shock.
- The modulation of the core clock gene per2 by its associated miRNA, dre-mir-29b, enhances cold tolerance in zebrafish larvae.
