Channel nuclear pore complex subunits are required for transposon silencing in Drosophila

eLife

Alessandro Passera¹  Gregory J Hannon¹  Marzia Munafò¹  Benjamin Czech¹  Susanne Bornelöv¹  Serena MacMillan¹  Victoria R Lawless¹  Irmgard U Haussmann²  Matthias Soller³ 

[1] Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Li Ka Shing Centre, Cambridge, United Kingdom;Department of Life Science, Faculty of Health, Education and Life Sciences, Birmingham City University, Birmingham, United Kingdom;School of Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom;School of Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom;Birmingham Center for Genome Biology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom;

关键词: transposon silencing;    rna export;    nuclear pore complex;    nucleoporins;    piwi-interacting RNAs;    piRNAs;    D. melanogaster;   

DOI  :  10.7554/eLife.66321

来源: eLife Sciences Publications, Ltd

【 摘 要 】

The nuclear pore complex (NPC) is the principal gateway between nucleus and cytoplasm that enables exchange of macromolecular cargo. Composed of multiple copies of ~30 different nucleoporins (Nups), the NPC acts as a selective portal, interacting with factors which individually license passage of specific cargo classes. Here we show that two Nups of the inner channel, Nup54 and Nup58, are essential for transposon silencing via the PIWI-interacting RNA (piRNA) pathway in the Drosophila ovary. In ovarian follicle cells, loss of Nup54 and Nup58 results in compromised piRNA biogenesis exclusively from the flamenco locus, whereas knockdowns of other NPC subunits have widespread consequences. This provides evidence that some Nups can acquire specialised roles in tissue-specific contexts. Our findings consolidate the idea that the NPC has functions beyond simply constituting a barrier to nuclear/cytoplasmic exchange as genomic loci subjected to strong selective pressure can exploit NPC subunits to facilitate their expression.

【 授权许可】

CC BY