RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 PETISCO is a novel protein complex required for 21U RNA biogenesis and embryonic viability
JF bioRxiv
FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
SP 463711
DO 10.1101/463711
A1 Ricardo J. Cordeiro Rodrigues
A1 António Miguel de Jesus Domingues
A1 Svenja Hellmann
A1 Sabrina Dietz
A1 Bruno F. M. de Albuquerque
A1 Christian Renz
A1 Helle D. Ulrich
A1 Falk Butter
A1 René F. Ketting
YR 2018
UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2018/11/07/463711.abstract
AB Piwi proteins are important for germ cell development in almost all animals studied thus far. These proteins are guided to specific targets, such as transposable elements, by small guide RNAs, often referred to as piRNAs, or 21U RNAs in C. elegans. In this organism, even though genetic screens have uncovered a number of potential 21U RNA biogenesis factors, little is known about how these factors interact or what they do. Based on the previously identified 21U biogenesis factor PID-1, we here define a novel protein complex, PETISCO, that is required for 21U RNA biogenesis. PETISCO contains both potential 5’-cap and 5’-phosphate RNA binding domains, suggesting involvement in 5’ end processing. We define the interaction architecture of PETISCO and reveal a second function for PETISCO in embryonic development. This essential function of PETISCO is not mediated by PID-1, but by TOST-1. Vice versa, TOST-1 is not involved in 21U RNA biogenesis. Both PID-1 and TOST-1 are small, intrinsically disordered proteins that interact directly with the PETISCO protein ERH-2 (enhancer of rudimentary homolog 2) using a conserved sequence motif. Finally, our data suggest an important role for TOST-1:PETISCO in SL1 homeostasis in the early embryo. Our work describes the first molecular platform for 21U RNA production in C. elegans, and strengthens the view that 21U RNA biogenesis is built upon a much more widely used, snRNA-related pathway.