Open AccessSense-overlapping lncRNA as a decoy of translational repressor protein for dimorphic gene expression
Author(s) -
Perez Ca,
Shungo Adachi,
Quang Dang g,
Nikko Adhitama,
Tomoaki Matsuura,
Toru Natsume,
Tadashi Wada,
Yasuhiko Kato,
Hidenobu Watanabe
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
plos genetics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.587
H-Index - 233
eISSN - 1553-7404
pISSN - 1553-7390
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009683
Subject(s) - biology , translation (biology) , repressor , untranslated region , sense (electronics) , messenger rna , gene expression , gene , rna binding protein , regulation of gene expression , three prime untranslated region , rna , genetics , five prime untranslated region , microbiology and biotechnology , computational biology , electrical engineering , engineering
Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are vastly transcribed and extensively studied but lncRNAs overlapping with the sense orientation of mRNA have been poorly studied. We analyzed the lncRNA DAPALR overlapping with the 5´ UTR of the Doublesex1 ( Dsx1 ), the male determining gene in Daphnia magna . By affinity purification, we identified an RNA binding protein, Shep as a DAPALR binding protein. Shep also binds to Dsx1 5´ UTR by recognizing the overlapping sequence and suppresses translation of the mRNA. In vitro and in vivo analyses indicated that DAPALR increased Dsx1 translation efficiency by sequestration of Shep. This regulation was impaired when the Shep binding site in DAPALR was deleted. These results suggest that Shep suppresses the unintentional translation of Dsx1 by setting a threshold; and when the sense lncRNA DAPALR is expressed, DAPALR cancels the suppression caused by Shep. This mechanism may be important to show dimorphic gene expressions such as sex determination and it may account for the binary expression in various developmental processes.