Open AccessProper splicing contributes to visual function in the aging Drosophila eye
Author(s) -
Stegeman Rachel,
Hall Hana,
Escobedo Spencer E.,
Chang Henry C.,
Weake Vikki M.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
aging cell
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.103
H-Index - 140
eISSN - 1474-9726
pISSN - 1474-9718
DOI - 10.1111/acel.12817
Subject(s) - rna splicing , biology , alternative splicing , splicing factor , genetics , transcriptome , gene , microbiology and biotechnology , gene expression , rna , messenger rna
Changes in splicing patterns are a characteristic of the aging transcriptome; however, it is unclear whether these age‐related changes in splicing facilitate the progressive functional decline that defines aging. In Drosophila , visual behavior declines with age and correlates with altered gene expression in photoreceptors, including downregulation of genes encoding splicing factors. Here, we characterized the significance of these age‐regulated splicing‐associated genes in both splicing and visual function. To do this, we identified differential splicing events in either the entire eye or photoreceptors of young and old flies. Intriguingly, aging photoreceptors show differential splicing of a large number of visual function genes. In addition, as shown previously for aging photoreceptors, aging eyes showed increased accumulation of circular RNAs, which result from noncanonical splicing events. To test whether proper splicing was necessary for visual behavior, we knocked down age‐regulated splicing factors in photoreceptors in young flies and examined phototaxis. Notably, many of the age‐regulated splicing factors tested were necessary for proper visual behavior. In addition, knockdown of individual splicing factors resulted in changes in both alternative splicing at age‐spliced genes and increased accumulation of circular RNAs. Together, these data suggest that cumulative decreases in splicing factor expression could contribute to the differential splicing, circular RNA accumulation, and defective visual behavior observed in aging photoreceptors.