Browsing by keyword "Retroelements"

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    • Biogenesis and function of tRNA fragments during sperm maturation and fertilization in mammals
      Sharma, Upasna; Conine, Colin C.; Shea, Jeremy; Boskovic, Ana; Derr, Alan G.; Bing, Xin Y.; Belleannee, Clemence; Kucukural, Alper; Serra, Ryan W.; Sun, Fengyun; et al. (2016-01-22)
      Several recent studies link parental environments to phenotypes in subsequent generations. In this work, we investigate the mechanism by which paternal diet affects offspring metabolism. Protein restriction in mice affects small RNA (sRNA) levels in mature sperm, with decreased let-7 levels and increased amounts of 5' fragments of glycine transfer RNAs (tRNAs). In testicular sperm, tRNA fragments are scarce but increase in abundance as sperm mature in the epididymis. Epididymosomes (vesicles that fuse with sperm during epididymal transit) carry RNA payloads matching those of mature sperm and can deliver RNAs to immature sperm in vitro. Functionally, tRNA-glycine-GCC fragments repress genes associated with the endogenous retroelement MERVL, in both embryonic stem cells and embryos. Our results shed light on sRNA biogenesis and its dietary regulation during posttesticular sperm maturation, and they also link tRNA fragments to regulation of endogenous retroelements active in the preimplantation embryo.

    • Human hair growth deficiency is linked to a genetic defect in the phospholipase gene LIPH
      Kazantseva, Anastasiya; Goltsov, Andrey; Zinchenko, Rena A.; Grigorenko, Anastasia P.; Abrukova, Anna V.; Moliaka, Yuri K.; Kirillov, Alexander G.; Guo, Zhiru; Lyle, Stephen; Ginter, Evgeny K.; et al. (2006-11-11)
      The molecular mechanisms controlling human hair growth and scalp hair loss are poorly understood. By screening about 350,000 individuals in two populations from the Volga-Ural region of Russia, we identified a gene mutation in families who show an inherited form of hair loss and a hair growth defect. Affected individuals were homozygous for a deletion in the LIPH gene on chromosome 3q27, caused by short interspersed nuclear element-retrotransposon-mediated recombination. The LIPH gene is expressed in hair follicles and encodes a phospholipase called lipase H (alternatively known as membrane-associated phosphatidic acid-selective phospholipase A1alpha), an enzyme that regulates the production of bioactive lipids. These results suggest that lipase H participates in hair growth and development.