Identification of CR43467 encoding a long non-coding RNA as a novel genetic interactant with dFIG4, a CMT-causing gene.

Identification of CR43467 encoding a long non-coding RNA as a novel genetic interactant with dFIG4, a CMT-causing gene. Exp Cell Res. 2019 Nov 05;:111711 Authors: Shimada S, Muraoka Y, Ibaraki K, Takano-Shimizu-Kouno T, Yoshida H, Yamaguchi M Abstract The eye imaginal disc-specific knockdown of dFIG4, a Drosophila homolog of FIG4 that is one of the Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT)-causing genes, induces an aberrant adult compound eye morphology, the so-called rough eye phenotype. We previously performed modifier screening on the dFIG4 knockdown-induced rough eye phenotype and identified several genes, including CR18854, encoding a long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) as genetic interactants with dFIG4. In the present study, in more extensive genetic screening, we found that the deletion of a gene locus encoding both Odorant rector 46a (Or46a) and lncRNA CR43467 effectively suppressed the rough eye phenotype induced by the knockdown of dFIG4. Both genes were located on the same locus, but oriented in opposite directions. In order to identify which of these genes is responsible for the suppression of the rough eye phenotype, we established a CR43467-specific knockdown line using the CRISPR-dCas9 system. By using this system, we demonstrated that the CR43467 gene, but not the Or46a gene, genetically interacted with the dFIG4 gene. The knockdown of CR43467 rescued the reductions in the length of synaptic branches and number of boutons at neurom...
Source: Experimental Cell Research - Category: Cytology Authors: Tags: Exp Cell Res Source Type: research