Regulation of Pattern Formation and Gene Amplification During Drosophila Oogenesis by the miR-318 microRNA |
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Authors: | Wanzhong Ge Qiannan Deng Ting Guo Xin Hong Jan-Michael Kugler Xiaohang Yang Stephen M Cohen |
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Institution: | *Institute of Genetics, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China 310058;†Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Singapore 138673;‡Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117543 |
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Abstract: | Pattern formation during epithelial development requires the coordination of multiple signaling pathways. Here, we investigate the functions of an ovary-enriched miRNA, miR-318, in epithelial development during Drosophila oogenesis. mir-318 maternal loss-of-function mutants were female-sterile and laid eggs with abnormal morphology. Removal of mir-318 disrupted the dorsal–anterior follicle cell patterning, resulting in abnormal dorsal appendages. mir-318 mutant females also produced thin and fragile eggshells due to impaired chorion gene amplification. We provide evidence that the ecdysone signaling pathway activates expression of miR-318 and that miR-318 cooperates with Tramtrack69 to control the switch from endocycling to chorion gene amplification during differentiation of the follicular epithelium. The multiple functions of miR-318 in oogenesis illustrate the importance of miRNAs in maintaining cell fate and in promoting the developmental transition in the female follicular epithelium. |
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Keywords: | miR-318 pattern formation gene amplification |
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