Open AccessScreening of microRNAs controlling body fat in Drosophila melanogaster and identification of miR-969 and its target, Gr47b
Author(s) -
William Redmond,
Dylan Allen,
M. Christian Elledge,
Russell Arellanes,
Lucille Redmond,
Jared Yeahquo,
Shuyin Zhang,
Morgan Youngblood,
Austin Reiner,
Jin Ho Seo
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0219707
Subject(s) - microrna , biology , drosophila melanogaster , adipose tissue , phenotype , microbiology and biotechnology , rna interference , regulation of gene expression , regulator , function (biology) , gene expression profiling , gene , genetics , gene expression , rna , endocrinology
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-protein coding RNAs and post-transcriptionally regulate cellular gene expression. In animal development, miRNAs play essential roles such as stem cell maintenance, organogenesis, and apoptosis. Using gain-of-function (GOF) screening with 160 miRNA lines in Drosophila melanogaster , we identified a set of miRNAs which regulates body fat contents and named them microCATs (microRNAs Controlling Adipose Tissue). Further examination of egg-to-adult developmental kinetics of selected miRNA lines showed a negative correlation between fat content and developmental time. Comparison of microCATs with loss-of-function miRNA screening data uncovered miR-969 as an essential regulator of adiposity. Subsequently, we demonstrated adipose tissue-specific knock-down of gustatory receptor 47b (Gr47b), a miR-969 target, greatly reduced the amount of body fat, recapitulating the miR-969 GOF phenotype.