The Drosophila Fragile X Mental Retardation Protein participates in the piRNA pathway.
Fiche publication
Date publication
avril 2015
Auteurs
Membres identifiés du Cancéropôle Est :
Dr GIANGRANDE Angela, Dr CATTENOZ Pierre
Tous les auteurs :
Bozzetti MP, Specchia V, Cattenoz P, Laneve P, Geusa A, Sahin HB, Di Tommaso S, Friscini A, Massari S, Diebold C, Giangrande A
Lien Pubmed
Résumé
RNA metabolism controls multiple biological processes and a specific class of small RNAs, called piRNAs, act as genome guardians by silencing the expression of transposons and repetitive sequences in the gonads. Defects in the piRNA pathway affect genome integrity and fertility. The possible implications in physiopathological mechanisms of human diseases have made the piRNA pathway the object of intense investigation and recent work calls for a role of this pathway in somatic processes including synaptic plasticity. The RNA-binding Fragile X Mental Retardation Protein (FMRP) controls translation and its loss triggers the most frequent syndromic form of mental retardation as well as gonadal defects in humans. We here demonstrate for the first time that germline as well as somatic expression of dFmr1, the Drosophila ortholog of FMRP, are necessary in a pathway mediated by piRNAs. Moreover, dFmr1 interacts genetically and biochemically with Aubergine, an Argonaute protein and a key player in this pathway. Our data open novel perspectives for understanding the phenotypes observed in Fragile X patients and support the view that piRNAs may be at work in the nervous system.
Référence
J Cell Sci. 2015 Apr 23. pii: jcs.161810.