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Differentiation and Imaging of Brown Adipocytes from the Stromal Vascular Fraction of Interscapular Adipose Tissue from Newborn Mice
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Conserved function of the long noncoding RNA Blnc1 in brown adipocyte differentiation
Lin Mi1, Xu-Yun Zhao2, Siming Li2
1Laboratory of Animal Fat Deposition and Muscle Development, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China; Life Sciences Institute and Department of Cell & Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
Molecular Metabolism
|January 27, 2017
Summary
The long noncoding RNA Blnc1 is functionally conserved in humans and mice, promoting brown adipocyte differentiation and thermogenic gene expression through a specific RNA domain and protein complex.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) regulate biological processes.
- The lncRNA Blnc1 induces thermogenic gene expression in brown and beige adipocytes.
- Functional conservation and molecular mechanisms of Blnc1 are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate the functional conservation of Blnc1 in mice and humans.
- Elucidate the molecular mechanisms of Blnc1 in brown adipocyte thermogenesis.
Main Methods:
- Cloned and tested human Blnc1 for brown adipocyte differentiation.
- Generated Blnc1 mutants to identify functional RNA domains.
- Performed RNA-protein interaction studies to characterize the Blnc1 complex.
Main Results:
- Blnc1 shows high sequence and functional conservation between mice and humans.
- A conserved RNA domain is essential for Blnc1's biological activity.
- hnRNPU was identified as a key protein in the Blnc1/EBF2 complex, enhancing transcription.
Conclusions:
- Blnc1 is a conserved lncRNA that promotes thermogenic gene expression.
- Blnc1 facilitates this process via the Blnc1/hnRNPU/EBF2 ribonucleoprotein complex formation.
Keywords:
ATP5A, ATP synthase, H+ transporting, mitochondrial F1 complex, alpha 1BAT, brown adipose tissueBlnc1Brown adipocyte differentiationBrown fatCox7a1, cytochrome c oxidase subunit 7A1Dio2, deiodinase, iodothyronine type IIEBF2EBF2, early B cell factor 2Elovl3, elongation of very long chain fatty acids like 3FABP4, fatty acid binding protein 4PPARγ, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gammaPpargc1a, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alphaPparα, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alphaPrdm16, PR domain zinc finger protein 16RACE, rapid amplification of cDNA endsSDHB, succinate dehydrogenase complex iron sulfur subunit BThermogenesisUQCRC2, ubiquinol-cytochrome c reductase core protein IIUcp1, uncoupling protein 1lncRNAMore Related Videos
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