Chromatin remodelling and antisense-mediated up-regulation of the developmental switch gene eud-1 control predatory feeding plasticity

Nat Commun. 2016 Aug 4:7:12337. doi: 10.1038/ncomms12337.

Abstract

Phenotypic plasticity has been suggested to act through developmental switches, but little is known about associated molecular mechanisms. In the nematode Pristionchus pacificus, the sulfatase eud-1 was identified as part of a developmental switch controlling mouth-form plasticity governing a predatory versus bacteriovorous mouth-form decision. Here we show that mutations in the conserved histone-acetyltransferase Ppa-lsy-12 and the methyl-binding-protein Ppa-mbd-2 mimic the eud-1 phenotype, resulting in the absence of one mouth-form. Mutations in both genes cause histone modification defects and reduced eud-1 expression. Surprisingly, Ppa-lsy-12 mutants also result in the down-regulation of an antisense-eud-1 RNA. eud-1 and antisense-eud-1 are co-expressed and further experiments suggest that antisense-eud-1 acts through eud-1 itself. Indeed, overexpression of the antisense-eud-1 RNA increases the eud-1-sensitive mouth-form and extends eud-1 expression. In contrast, this effect is absent in eud-1 mutants indicating that antisense-eud-1 positively regulates eud-1. Thus, chromatin remodelling and antisense-mediated up-regulation of eud-1 control feeding plasticity in Pristionchus.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Chromatin Assembly and Disassembly / genetics*
  • Down-Regulation / genetics
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
  • Genes, Developmental*
  • Genes, Helminth*
  • Genes, Switch*
  • Genetic Loci
  • Genetic Pleiotropy
  • Histone Acetyltransferases / metabolism
  • Histones / metabolism
  • Mouth
  • Mutation / genetics
  • Nematoda / genetics*
  • Predatory Behavior*
  • Protein Processing, Post-Translational
  • RNA, Antisense / metabolism*
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Up-Regulation / genetics*

Substances

  • Histones
  • RNA, Antisense
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Histone Acetyltransferases