MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are highly conserved, small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expressions by binding to the 3'untranslated region (UTR) of target mRNAs and silence translation. Some miRNAs are key regulators of the Wnt signaling pathways which impact developmental processes. This study investigates miRNA regulation of different isoforms of Dishevelled (Dvl/Dsh), a key component in the Wnt signaling pathway. The sea urchin Dvl mRNA isoforms have similar spatial distribution in early development, but one isoform is distinctively expressed in the larval ciliary band. We demonstrated that Dvl isoforms are directly suppressed by miRNAs. By blocking miRNA suppression of Dvl isoforms, we observed dose-dependent defects of spicule length, patterning of the primary mesenchyme cells (PMCs), gut morphology, and cilia. These defects likely result from increased Dvl protein levels, leading to perturbation of Wnt dependent signaling pathways and additional Dvl-mediated processes. We further demonstrated that overexpression of Dvl isoforms recapitulated some of the Dvl miRNATP-induced phenotypes. Overall, our results indicate that miRNA suppression of Dvl isoforms plays an important role in ensuring proper development and function of the PMCs and cilia.
Inhibition of microRNA suppression of Dishevelled results in Wnt pathway associated developmental defects
Currently Viewing Accepted Manuscript - Newer Version Available
Nina Faye Sampilo, Nadezda A. Stepicheva, Syed Aun Murtaza Zaidi, Lingyu Wang, Wei Wu, Athula Wikramanayake, Jia L. Song; Inhibition of microRNA suppression of Dishevelled results in Wnt pathway associated developmental defects. Development 2018; dev.167130. doi: https://doi.org/10.1242/dev.167130
Download citation file:
Advertisement
Call for papers: Uncovering Developmental Diversity
Development invites you to submit your latest research to our upcoming special issue: Uncovering Developmental Diversity. This issue will be coordinated by our academic Editor Cassandra Extavour (Harvard University, USA) alongside two Guest Editors: Liam Dolan (Gregor Mendel Institute of Molecular Plant Biology, Austria) and Karen Sears (University of California Los Angeles, USA).
Choose Development in 2024
In this Editorial, Development Editor-in-Chief James Briscoe and Executive Editor Katherine Brown explain how you support your community by publishing in Development and how the journal champions serious science, community connections and progressive publishing.
Journal Meeting: From Stem Cells to Human Development
Register now for the 2024 Development Journal Meeting From Stem Cells to Human Development. Early-bird registration deadline: 3 May. Abstract submission deadline: 21 June.
Pluripotency of a founding field: rebranding developmental biology
This collaborative Perspective, the result of a workshop held in 2023, proposes a set of community actions to increase the visibility of the developmental biology field. The authors make recommendations for new funding streams, frameworks for collaborations and mechanisms by which members of the community can promote themselves and their research.
Read & Publish Open Access publishing: what authors say
We have had great feedback from authors who have benefitted from our Read & Publish agreement with their institution and have been able to publish Open Access with us without paying an APC. Read what they had to say.