Screening of microRNAs controlling body fat in Drosophila melanogaster and identification of miR-969 and its target, Gr47b.
William RedmondDylan AllenM Christian ElledgeRussell ArellanesLucille RedmondJared YeahquoShuyin ZhangMorgan YoungbloodAustin ReinerJin SeoPublished in: PloS one (2019)
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-protein coding RNAs and post-transcriptionally regulate cellular gene expression. In animal development, miRNAs play essential roles such as stem cell maintenance, organogenesis, and apoptosis. Using gain-of-function (GOF) screening with 160 miRNA lines in Drosophila melanogaster, we identified a set of miRNAs which regulates body fat contents and named them microCATs (microRNAs Controlling Adipose Tissue). Further examination of egg-to-adult developmental kinetics of selected miRNA lines showed a negative correlation between fat content and developmental time. Comparison of microCATs with loss-of-function miRNA screening data uncovered miR-969 as an essential regulator of adiposity. Subsequently, we demonstrated adipose tissue-specific knock-down of gustatory receptor 47b (Gr47b), a miR-969 target, greatly reduced the amount of body fat, recapitulating the miR-969 GOF phenotype.
Keyphrases
- drosophila melanogaster
- cell proliferation
- long non coding rna
- adipose tissue
- long noncoding rna
- gene expression
- stem cells
- insulin resistance
- dna methylation
- high fat diet
- type diabetes
- oxidative stress
- binding protein
- mesenchymal stem cells
- skeletal muscle
- endoplasmic reticulum stress
- young adults
- data analysis
- big data
- cell therapy
- clinical evaluation
- childhood cancer