Identification of target genes regulated by the Drosophila histone methyltransferase Eggless reveals a role of Decapentaplegic in apoptotic signaling

Sci Rep. 2018 May 8;8(1):7123. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-25483-9.

Abstract

Epigenetic gene regulation is essential for developmental processes. Eggless (Egg), the Drosophila orthologue of the mammalian histone methyltransferase, SETDB1, is known to be involved in the survival and differentiation of germline stem cells and piRNA cluster transcription during Drosophila oogenesis; however the detailed mechanisms remain to be determined. Here, using high-throughput RNA sequencing, we investigated target genes regulated by Egg in an unbiased manner. We show that Egg plays diverse roles in particular piRNA pathway gene expression, some long non-coding RNA expression, apoptosis-related gene regulation, and Decapentaplegic (Dpp) signaling during Drosophila oogenesis. Furthermore, using genetic and cell biological approaches, we demonstrate that ectopic upregulation of dpp caused by loss of Egg in the germarium can trigger apoptotic cell death through activation of two pro-apoptotic genes, reaper and head involution defective. We propose a model in which Egg regulates germ cell differentiation and apoptosis through canonical and noncanonical Dpp pathways in Drosophila oogenesis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / genetics*
  • Cell Differentiation / genetics
  • Drosophila Proteins / genetics*
  • Drosophila melanogaster / genetics
  • Drosophila melanogaster / growth & development
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
  • Histone Methyltransferases / genetics
  • Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase / genetics*
  • Oogenesis / genetics*
  • RNA, Long Noncoding / genetics
  • RNA, Small Interfering / genetics
  • Signal Transduction
  • Stem Cells / cytology

Substances

  • Drosophila Proteins
  • RNA, Long Noncoding
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • dpp protein, Drosophila
  • Histone Methyltransferases
  • Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase
  • egg protein, Drosophila