PUBLICATION

Terminal Uridylyltransferases Execute Programmed Clearance of Maternal Transcriptome in Vertebrate Embryos

Authors
Chang, H., Yeo, J., Kim, J.G., Kim, H., Lim, J., Lee, M., Kim, H.H., Ohk, J., Jeon, H.Y., Lee, H., Jung, H., Kim, K.W., Kim, V.N.
ID
ZDB-PUB-180407-7
Date
2018
Source
Molecular Cell   70: 72-82.e7 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Jeon, Hee-Yeon, Lee, Hyunsook
Keywords
RNA decay, TAIL-seq, TUT4, TUT7, U tail, Zcchc11, Zcchc6, maternal-to-zygotic transition, poly(A) tail, uridylation
Datasets
GEO:GSE111152
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Animals, Genetically Modified
  • DNA-Binding Proteins/genetics
  • DNA-Binding Proteins/metabolism
  • Drosophila melanogaster/embryology
  • Drosophila melanogaster/enzymology
  • Drosophila melanogaster/genetics
  • Embryo, Mammalian/enzymology*
  • Embryo, Nonmammalian/enzymology*
  • Gastrulation
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
  • Gestational Age
  • Mice, Inbred ICR
  • Nucleotidyltransferases/genetics
  • Nucleotidyltransferases/metabolism*
  • RNA Processing, Post-Transcriptional
  • RNA Stability*
  • RNA, Messenger/genetics
  • RNA, Messenger/metabolism*
  • Transcriptome*
  • Xenopus Proteins/genetics
  • Xenopus Proteins/metabolism
  • Xenopus laevis/embryology
  • Xenopus laevis/genetics*
  • Xenopus laevis/metabolism
  • Zebrafish/embryology
  • Zebrafish/genetics*
  • Zebrafish/metabolism
PubMed
29625039 Full text @ Mol. Cell
Abstract
During the maternal-to-zygotic transition (MZT), maternal RNAs are actively degraded and replaced by newly synthesized zygotic transcripts in a highly coordinated manner. However, it remains largely unknown how maternal mRNA decay is triggered in early vertebrate embryos. Here, through genome-wide profiling of RNA abundance and 3' modification, we show that uridylation is induced at the onset of maternal mRNA clearance. The temporal control of uridylation is conserved in vertebrates. When the homologs of terminal uridylyltransferases TUT4 and TUT7 (TUT4/7) are depleted in zebrafish and Xenopus, maternal mRNA clearance is significantly delayed, leading to developmental defects during gastrulation. Short-tailed mRNAs are selectively uridylated by TUT4/7, with the highly uridylated transcripts degraded faster during the MZT than those with unmodified poly(A) tails. Our study demonstrates that uridylation plays a crucial role in timely mRNA degradation, thereby allowing the progression of early development.
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Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
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Mapping