RRC ID 59606
Author Svendsen JM, Reed KJ, Vijayasarathy T, Montgomery BE, Tucci RM, Brown KC, Marks TN, Nguyen DAH, Phillips CM, Montgomery TA.
Title henn-1/HEN1 Promotes Germline Immortality in Caenorhabditis elegans.
Journal Cell Rep
Abstract The germline contains an immortal cell lineage that ensures the faithful transmission of genetic and, in some instances, epigenetic information from one generation to the next. Here, we show that in Caenorhabditis elegans, the small RNA 3'-2'-O-methyltransferase henn-1/HEN1 is required for sustained fertility across generations. In the absence of henn-1, animals become progressively less fertile, becoming sterile after ∼30 generations at 25°C. Sterility in henn-1 mutants is accompanied by severe defects in germline proliferation and maintenance. The requirement for henn-1 in transgenerational fertility is likely due to its role in methylating and, thereby, stabilizing Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs). However, despite being essential for piRNA stability in embryos, henn-1 is not required for piRNA stability in adults. Thus, we propose that methylation is important for the role of piRNAs in establishing proper gene silencing during early stages of development but is dispensable for their role in the proliferated germline.
Volume 29(10)
Pages 3187-3199.e4
Published 2019-12-3
DOI 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.10.114
PII S2211-1247(19)31447-0
PMID 31801082
PMC PMC6922003
MeSH Animals Caenorhabditis elegans / genetics* Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / genetics* Cell Proliferation / genetics Gene Silencing / physiology Germ Cells / physiology* Methylation Methyltransferases / genetics* Nerve Tissue Proteins / genetics* RNA, Small Interfering / genetics
IF 7.815
Times Cited 1
Resource
C.elegans tm1301 tm1860