RRC ID 80793
Author Chou HT, Valencia F, Alexander JC, Bell AD, Deb D, Pollard DA, Paaby AB.
Title Diversification of small RNA pathways underlies germline RNA interference incompetence in wild Caenorhabditis elegans strains.
Journal Genetics
Abstract The discovery that experimental delivery of dsRNA can induce gene silencing at target genes revolutionized genetics research, by both uncovering essential biological processes and creating new tools for developmental geneticists. However, the efficacy of exogenous RNA interference (RNAi) varies dramatically within the Caenorhabditis elegans natural population, raising questions about our understanding of RNAi in the lab relative to its activity and significance in nature. Here, we investigate why some wild strains fail to mount a robust RNAi response to germline targets. We observe diversity in mechanism: in some strains, the response is stochastic, either on or off among individuals, while in others, the response is consistent but delayed. Increased activity of the Argonaute PPW-1, which is required for germline RNAi in the laboratory strain N2, rescues the response in some strains but dampens it further in others. Among wild strains, genes known to mediate RNAi exhibited very high expression variation relative to other genes in the genome as well as allelic divergence and strain-specific instances of pseudogenization at the sequence level. Our results demonstrate functional diversification in the small RNA pathways in C. elegans and suggest that RNAi processes are evolving rapidly and dynamically in nature.
Volume 226(1)
Published 2024-1-3
DOI 10.1093/genetics/iyad191
PII 7326754
PMID 37865119
PMC PMC10763538
MeSH Animals Caenorhabditis elegans* / genetics Caenorhabditis elegans* / metabolism Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins* / metabolism Germ Cells / metabolism Humans RNA Interference RNA, Double-Stranded / metabolism RNA, Small Interfering / genetics RNA, Small Interfering / metabolism
Resource
C.elegans tm377