RNA Biology：浙大细胞与发育生物学研究所罗琛教授实验室发表研

脊椎动物的一些关键的发育调控基因在不同胚胎发育时期在不同胚胎区域的细胞中表达，调控不同的发育过程。但许多这类多功能发育调控基因在胚胎发育过程中的表达调控机制都不清楚。罗琛教授实验室研究了多功能发育调控基因vsx1的表达调控，发现microRNA-20a能结合到vsx1 mRNA的3′-UTR上而导致其降解，抑制Vsx1蛋白表达;miR-20a表达的时空模式与vsx1表达的时空模式呈负相关;抑制内源microRNA-20a的功能会导致斑马鱼胚胎头部、眼睛、体节以及脊髓畸形。这些结果证明miR-20a对Vsx1表达的抑制是鱼类胚胎正常发育所必需的，microRNA所介导的转录后调控是使这类发育调控基因能在不同发育阶段具有不同功能的重要调控机制。

原文链接：

MicroRNA-20a is essential for normal embryogenEsis by targeting vsx1 mRNA in fish

原文摘要：

MicroRNAs are major post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression and have essentialroles in diverse developmental processes. In vertebrates, some regulatory genes play different roles at different developmental stages. These genes are initially transcribed in a wide embryonic region but restricted within distinct cell types at subsequent stages during development. Therefore, post-transcriptional regulation is required for the transition from one developmental stage to the next and the establishment of different cell identities. However, the regulation of many multiple functional genes at post-transcription level during development remains unknown. Here we show that miR-20a can target the mRNA ofvsx1, a multiple functional gene, at the 3′-UTR and inhibit protein expression in both goldfish and zebrafish. The expression of miR-20a is initiated ubiquitously at late gastrula stage and exhibits a tissue-specific pattern in the developing retina. Inhibition of vsx1 3′-UTR mediated protein expression occurs when and where miR-20a is expressed. Decoying miR-20a resulted in severely impaired head, eye and trunk formation in association with excessive generation of vsx1 marked neurons in the spinal cord and defects of somites in the mesoderm region. These results demonstrate that miR-20a is essential for normalembryogenesis by restricting Vsx1 expression in goldfish and zebrafish, and that post-transcriptional regulation is an essential mechanism for Vsx1 playing different roles in diverse developmental processes.

DOI:10.1080/15476286.2015.1034919

作者：罗琛教授