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Early origins and evolution of microRNAs and Piwi-interacting RNAs in animals

Author

Listed:
  • Andrew Grimson

    (Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, 9 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, USA
    Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA)

  • Mansi Srivastava

    (University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, USA)

  • Bryony Fahey

    (School of Integrative Biology, University of Queensland)

  • Ben J. Woodcroft

    (School of Integrative Biology, University of Queensland)

  • H. Rosaria Chiang

    (Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, 9 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, USA
    Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA)

  • Nicole King

    (University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, USA)

  • Bernard M. Degnan

    (School of Integrative Biology, University of Queensland)

  • Daniel S. Rokhsar

    (University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
    Joint Genome Institute, Walnut Creek, California 94598, USA)

  • David P. Bartel

    (Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, 9 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, USA
    Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA)

Abstract

In bilaterian animals, such as humans, flies and worms, hundreds of microRNAs (miRNAs), some conserved throughout bilaterian evolution, collectively regulate a substantial fraction of the transcriptome. In addition to miRNAs, other bilaterian small RNAs, known as Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs), protect the genome from transposons. Here we identify small RNAs from animal phyla that diverged before the emergence of the Bilateria. The cnidarian Nematostella vectensis (starlet sea anemone), a close relative to the Bilateria, possesses an extensive repertoire of miRNA genes, two classes of piRNAs and a complement of proteins specific to small-RNA biology comparable to that of humans. The poriferan Amphimedon queenslandica (sponge), one of the simplest animals and a distant relative of the Bilateria, also possesses miRNAs, both classes of piRNAs and a full complement of the small-RNA machinery. Animal miRNA evolution seems to have been relatively dynamic, with precursor sizes and mature miRNA sequences differing greatly between poriferans, cnidarians and bilaterians. Nonetheless, miRNAs and piRNAs have been available as classes of riboregulators to shape gene expression throughout the evolution and radiation of animal phyla.

Suggested Citation

  • Andrew Grimson & Mansi Srivastava & Bryony Fahey & Ben J. Woodcroft & H. Rosaria Chiang & Nicole King & Bernard M. Degnan & Daniel S. Rokhsar & David P. Bartel, 2008. "Early origins and evolution of microRNAs and Piwi-interacting RNAs in animals," Nature, Nature, vol. 455(7217), pages 1193-1197, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:455:y:2008:i:7217:d:10.1038_nature07415
    DOI: 10.1038/nature07415
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    Cited by:

    1. Danial Pourjafar-Dehkordi & Martin Zacharias, 2021. "Binding-induced functional-domain motions in the Argonaute characterized by adaptive advanced sampling," PLOS Computational Biology, Public Library of Science, vol. 17(11), pages 1-16, November.
    2. Yu H. Sun & Ruoqiao Huiyi Wang & Khai Du & Jiang Zhu & Jihong Zheng & Li Huitong Xie & Amanda A. Pereira & Chao Zhang & Emiliano P. Ricci & Xin Zhiguo Li, 2021. "Coupled protein synthesis and ribosome-guided piRNA processing on mRNAs," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-19, December.

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