Arginine methylation promotes siRNA-binding specificity for a spermatogenesis-specific isoform of the Argonaute protein CSR-1

CSR-1 is an essential Argonaute protein that binds to a subclass of 22G-RNAs targeting most germline-expressed genes. Here we show that the two isoforms of CSR-1 have distinct expression patterns; CSR-1B is ubiquitously expressed throughout the germline and during all stages of development while CSR...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nature communications 2021-07, Vol.12 (1), p.4212-4212, Article 4212
Main Authors: Nguyen, Dieu An H., Phillips, Carolyn M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
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Binding
Developmental stages
DNA methylation
Fertility
Gene mapping
Genes
Germ cells
Humanities and Social Sciences
Isoforms
Localization
Mapping
Methylation
multidisciplinary
Oogenesis
Proteins
Regulatory mechanisms (biology)
Ribonucleic acid
RNA
Science
Science (multidisciplinary)
siRNA
Spatial discrimination
Spermatogenesis
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Summary:CSR-1 is an essential Argonaute protein that binds to a subclass of 22G-RNAs targeting most germline-expressed genes. Here we show that the two isoforms of CSR-1 have distinct expression patterns; CSR-1B is ubiquitously expressed throughout the germline and during all stages of development while CSR-1A expression is restricted to germ cells undergoing spermatogenesis. Furthermore, CSR-1A associates preferentially with 22G-RNAs mapping to spermatogenesis-specific genes whereas CSR-1B-bound small RNAs map predominantly to oogenesis-specific genes. Interestingly, the exon unique to CSR-1A contains multiple dimethylarginine modifications, which are necessary for the preferential binding of CSR-1A to spermatogenesis-specific 22G-RNAs. Thus, we have discovered a regulatory mechanism for C. elegans Argonaute proteins that allows for specificity of small RNA binding between similar Argonaute proteins with overlapping temporal and spatial localization. The Argonaute protein CSR-1 is essential for fertility and viability in C. elegans . Here the authors show that CSR-1A isoform associates preferentially with small RNAs mapping to spermatogenesis-specific genes while CSR-1B isoform binds small RNAs mapping to oogenesis-specific genes. Arginine methylation of CSR-1A promotes small RNA-binding specificity.
ISSN:2041-1723
2041-1723
DOI:10.1038/s41467-021-24526-6