A branched heterochronic pathway directs juvenile-to-adult transition through two LIN-29 isoforms
Robust organismal development relies on temporal coordination of disparate physiological processes. In Caenorhabditis elegans, the heterochronic pathway controls a timely juvenile-to-adult (J/A) transition. This regulatory cascade of conserved proteins and small RNAs culminates in accumulation of th...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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eLife Sciences Publications Ltd
2020-03-01
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| Series: | eLife |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://elifesciences.org/articles/53387 |
| _version_ | 1811236835384360960 |
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| author | Chiara Azzi Florian Aeschimann Anca Neagu Helge Großhans |
| author_facet | Chiara Azzi Florian Aeschimann Anca Neagu Helge Großhans |
| author_sort | Chiara Azzi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Robust organismal development relies on temporal coordination of disparate physiological processes. In Caenorhabditis elegans, the heterochronic pathway controls a timely juvenile-to-adult (J/A) transition. This regulatory cascade of conserved proteins and small RNAs culminates in accumulation of the transcription factor LIN-29, which triggers coordinated execution of transition events. We report that two LIN-29 isoforms fulfill distinct functions. Functional specialization is a consequence of distinct isoform expression patterns, not protein sequence, and we propose that distinct LIN-29 dose sensitivities of the individual J/A transition events help to ensure their temporal ordering. We demonstrate that unique isoform expression patterns are generated by the activities of LIN-41 for lin-29a, and of HBL-1 for lin-29b, whereas the RNA-binding protein LIN-28 coordinates LIN-29 isoform activity, in part by regulating both hbl-1 and lin-41. Our findings reveal that coordinated transition from juvenile to adult involves branching of a linear pathway to achieve timely control of multiple events. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T12:14:57Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bc20a89d37f64b3cb0f6c11a9a7b0db0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2050-084X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T12:14:57Z |
| publishDate | 2020-03-01 |
| publisher | eLife Sciences Publications Ltd |
| record_format | Article |
| series | eLife |
| spelling | doaj.art-bc20a89d37f64b3cb0f6c11a9a7b0db02022-12-22T03:33:27ZengeLife Sciences Publications LtdeLife2050-084X2020-03-01910.7554/eLife.53387A branched heterochronic pathway directs juvenile-to-adult transition through two LIN-29 isoformsChiara Azzi0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2240-4618Florian Aeschimann1https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5213-034XAnca Neagu2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0643-5238Helge Großhans3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8169-6905Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, SwitzerlandFriedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, SwitzerlandFriedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, SwitzerlandFriedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, SwitzerlandRobust organismal development relies on temporal coordination of disparate physiological processes. In Caenorhabditis elegans, the heterochronic pathway controls a timely juvenile-to-adult (J/A) transition. This regulatory cascade of conserved proteins and small RNAs culminates in accumulation of the transcription factor LIN-29, which triggers coordinated execution of transition events. We report that two LIN-29 isoforms fulfill distinct functions. Functional specialization is a consequence of distinct isoform expression patterns, not protein sequence, and we propose that distinct LIN-29 dose sensitivities of the individual J/A transition events help to ensure their temporal ordering. We demonstrate that unique isoform expression patterns are generated by the activities of LIN-41 for lin-29a, and of HBL-1 for lin-29b, whereas the RNA-binding protein LIN-28 coordinates LIN-29 isoform activity, in part by regulating both hbl-1 and lin-41. Our findings reveal that coordinated transition from juvenile to adult involves branching of a linear pathway to achieve timely control of multiple events.https://elifesciences.org/articles/53387developmental timingterminal differentiationheterochronicpubertymoltepidermis |
| spellingShingle | Chiara Azzi Florian Aeschimann Anca Neagu Helge Großhans A branched heterochronic pathway directs juvenile-to-adult transition through two LIN-29 isoforms eLife developmental timing terminal differentiation heterochronic puberty molt epidermis |
| title | A branched heterochronic pathway directs juvenile-to-adult transition through two LIN-29 isoforms |
| title_full | A branched heterochronic pathway directs juvenile-to-adult transition through two LIN-29 isoforms |
| title_fullStr | A branched heterochronic pathway directs juvenile-to-adult transition through two LIN-29 isoforms |
| title_full_unstemmed | A branched heterochronic pathway directs juvenile-to-adult transition through two LIN-29 isoforms |
| title_short | A branched heterochronic pathway directs juvenile-to-adult transition through two LIN-29 isoforms |
| title_sort | branched heterochronic pathway directs juvenile to adult transition through two lin 29 isoforms |
| topic | developmental timing terminal differentiation heterochronic puberty molt epidermis |
| url | https://elifesciences.org/articles/53387 |
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