Small RNA-mediated genome rearrangement pathways in ciliates

Yunyi Gao; Therese Solberg; Chundi Wang; Feng Gao

doi:10.1016/j.tig.2022.10.001

Small RNA-mediated genome rearrangement pathways in ciliates

Trends Genet. 2023 Feb;39(2):94-97. doi: 10.1016/j.tig.2022.10.001. Epub 2022 Nov 9.

Authors

Yunyi Gao¹, Therese Solberg², Chundi Wang³, Feng Gao⁴

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China; Key Laboratory of Mariculture (Ocean University of China), Ministry of Education, Qingdao 266003, China.
² Institute of Cell Biology, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 4, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.
³ Laboratory of Marine Protozoan Biodiversity & Evolution, Ocean College, Shandong University, Weihai 264209, China.
⁴ Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China; Key Laboratory of Mariculture (Ocean University of China), Ministry of Education, Qingdao 266003, China. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 36371355
DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2022.10.001

Abstract

Most eukaryotes employ a combination of transcriptional and post-transcriptional silencing mechanisms to suppress transposons, yet ciliates employ a more extreme approach. They separate germline and somatic functions into distinct nuclei, enabling the elimination of transposons from the active somatic genome through diverse small RNA-mediated genome rearrangement pathways during sexual processes.

Keywords: DNA elimination; ciliate; genome rearrangement; nuclear dimorphism; small RNA; transposons.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Cell Nucleus / genetics
Ciliophora* / genetics
Gene Rearrangement / genetics
Genome / genetics
RNA*

Substances

RNA