Department of Plant Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Life Science, University of Copenhagen, Thovanlsensvej 40, 1871 Frederiksberg, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Nucleic Acids Res. 2013 Feb 1;41(3):1984-97. doi: 10.1093/nar/gks1309. Epub 2012 Dec 24.
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small regulatory RNAs that have important regulatory roles in numerous developmental and metabolic processes in most eukaryotes. In Arabidopsis, DICER-LIKE1 (DCL1), HYPONASTIC LEAVES 1, SERRATE, HUA ENHANCER1 and HASTY are involved in processing of primary miRNAs (pri-miRNAs) to yield precursor miRNAs (pre-miRNAs) and eventually miRNAs. In addition to these components, mRNA cap-binding proteins, CBP80/ABA HYPERSENSITIVE1 and CBP20, also participate in miRNA biogenesis. Here, we show that STABILIZED1 (STA1), an Arabidopsis pre-mRNA processing factor 6 homolog, is also involved in the biogenesis of miRNAs. Similar to other miRNA biogenesis-defective mutants, sta1-1 accumulated significantly lower levels of mature miRNAs and concurrently higher levels of pri-miRNAs than wild type. The dramatic reductions of mature miRNAs were associated with the accumulation of their target gene transcripts and developmental defects. Furthermore, sta1-1 impaired splicing of intron containing pri-miRNAs and decreased transcript levels of DCL1. These results suggest that STA1 is involved in miRNA biogenesis directly by functioning in pri-miRNA splicing and indirectly by modulating the DCL1 transcript level.
microRNAs (miRNAs) 是一类在真核生物中参与多种发育和代谢过程的重要调控小 RNA。在拟南芥中,DICER-LIKE1(DCL1)、HYPNASTIC LEAVES 1(HYL1)、SERRATE(SE)、HUA ENHANCER1(HEN1)和 HASTY 参与初级 miRNA(pri-miRNA)加工为前体 miRNA(pre-miRNA),最终产生 miRNA。除了这些成分外,mRNA 帽结合蛋白 CBP80/ABA HYPERSENSITIVE1(CBP80/ABA HSP)和 CBP20 也参与 miRNA 的生物发生。在这里,我们表明,拟南芥前体 mRNA 加工因子 6 同源物 STABILIZED1(STA1)也参与 miRNA 的生物发生。与其他 miRNA 生物发生缺陷突变体相似,sta1-1 积累的成熟 miRNA 水平明显低于野生型,同时积累的 pri-miRNA 水平高于野生型。成熟 miRNA 的显著减少与靶基因转录物的积累和发育缺陷有关。此外,sta1-1 还干扰了含有内含子的 pri-miRNA 的剪接,并降低了 DCL1 的转录水平。这些结果表明,STA1 通过参与 pri-miRNA 的剪接直接参与 miRNA 的生物发生,通过调节 DCL1 的转录水平间接参与 miRNA 的生物发生。