The secreted endoribonuclease ENDU-2 from the soma protects germline immortality in C. elegans

Nat Commun. 2021 Feb 24;12(1):1262. doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-21516-6.

Abstract

Multicellular organisms coordinate tissue specific responses to environmental information via both cell-autonomous and non-autonomous mechanisms. In addition to secreted ligands, recent reports implicated release of small RNAs in regulating gene expression across tissue boundaries. Here, we show that the conserved poly-U specific endoribonuclease ENDU-2 in C. elegans is secreted from the soma and taken-up by the germline to ensure germline immortality at elevated temperature. ENDU-2 binds to mature mRNAs and negatively regulates mRNA abundance both in the soma and the germline. While ENDU-2 promotes RNA decay in the soma directly via its endoribonuclease activity, ENDU-2 prevents misexpression of soma-specific genes in the germline and preserves germline immortality independent of its RNA-cleavage activity. In summary, our results suggest that the secreted RNase ENDU-2 regulates gene expression across tissue boundaries in response to temperature alterations and contributes to maintenance of stem cell immortality, probably via retaining a stem cell specific program of gene expression.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Caenorhabditis elegans / enzymology*
  • Caenorhabditis elegans / genetics*
  • Caenorhabditis elegans / physiology
  • Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / genetics
  • Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / metabolism*
  • Endoribonucleases / genetics
  • Endoribonucleases / metabolism*
  • Germ-Line Mutation / genetics
  • RNA Stability / genetics
  • RNA Stability / physiology
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Stem Cells / cytology
  • Stem Cells / metabolism
  • Temperature

Substances

  • Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Endoribonucleases