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Rice germline‐specific A rgonaute MEL 1 protein binds to phasi RNA s generated from more than 700 linc RNA s
Author(s) -
Komiya Reina,
Ohyanagi Hajime,
Niihama Mitsuru,
Watanabe Toshiaki,
Nakano Mutsuko,
Kurata Nori,
omura KenIchi
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
the plant journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.058
H-Index - 269
eISSN - 1365-313X
pISSN - 0960-7412
DOI - 10.1111/tpj.12483
Subject(s) - biology , argonaute , rna , dicer , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics , gene silencing , long non coding rna , non coding rna , rna interference , gene
Summary Small RNA s that interact with A rgonaute ( AGO ) proteins play central roles in RNA‐mediated silencing. MEIOSIS ARRESTED AT LEPTOTENE1 ( MEL 1), a rice AGO , has specific functions in the development of pre‐meiotic germ cells and the progression of meiosis. Here, we show that MEL 1, which is located mostly in the cytoplasm of germ cells, associates preferentially with 21‐nucleotide phased small interfering RNA s (phasi RNA s) that bear a 5′‐terminal cytosine. Most phasi RNA s are derived from 1171 intergenic clusters distributed on all rice chromosomes. From these clusters, over 700 large intergenic, non‐coding RNAs (linc RNA s) that contain the consensus sequence complementary to miR2118 are transcribed specifically in inflorescences, and cleaved within the miR2118 site. Cleaved linc RNA s are processed via DICER ‐ LIKE 4 ( DCL 4) protein, resulting in production of phasiRNAs. This study provides the evidence that the miR2118‐dependent and the DCL 4‐dependent pathways are both required for biogenesis of 21‐nt phasi RNA s associated with germline‐specific MEL 1 AGO in rice, and over 700 linc RNA s are key factors for induction of this biogenesis during reproductive‐specific stages.