RNA from a simple-tandem repeat is required for sperm maturation and male fertility in Drosophila melanogaster

  1. Wilbur Kyle Mills
  2. Yuh Chwen G Lee
  3. Antje M Kochendoerfer
  4. Elaine M Dunleavy
  5. Gary H Karpen  Is a corresponding author
  1. University of California, Berkeley, United States
  2. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, United States
  3. University of California, Irvine, United States
  4. National University of Ireland, Ireland
4 figures, 9 tables and 1 additional file

Figures

Figure 1 with 6 supplements
AAGAG(n) RNA localizations in embryos and larvae.

(a) AAGAG RNA distributions (magenta) throughout embryonic and larval development in Oregon R flies. DNA/DAPI = blue; all images are confocal sections. White box indicates location of enlarged …

Figure 1—figure supplement 1
RNA-FISH analysis of satellite RNAs in cycle 14 embryos.

(a) ND = Not detected, *repeats tested for expression from both strands. For more details about AAGAG RNA in cycle 14, see Figure 1, A and E and Figure 1—figure supplement 2D. (b) Projections of …

Figure 1—figure supplement 2
AAGAG RNA is present throughout development and forms foci.

(a) Northern blot analyzing RNA from Oregon R embryos and third instar larva hybridized with a probe complementary to AAGAG(n). Note that signal intensity is not a representation of relative AAGAG …

Figure 1—figure supplement 3
AAGAG RNA foci contain single-stranded RNA and are not associated with R-loops.

Confocal sections of embryonic nuclei in cycle 14 (with exception of left panel in ‘b’), nuclear periphery outlined in dotted circles. (a) No RNase control. (b) Treated with RNaseIII (left nucleus …

Figure 1—figure supplement 4
AAGAG RNA transcripts originate from 2R, X and 3R heterochromatin loci and are transcribed in embryos and larval brain.

(a) Unique regions adjacent to AAGAG(n), or AAGAG(n) within AG rich regions, were identified as potential sources of satellite transcripts, as described in Materials and methods. (+) indicates …

Figure 1—figure supplement 5
AAGAG RNA-FISH localizes RNA and not DNA.

Confocal sections of cycle 14 nuclei treated with either (a) RNAseH or (b) RNAseIII after AAGAG RNA probe (magenta) hybridization. A higher laser intensity for the AAGAG probe channel was used in b …

Figure 1—figure supplement 6
AAGAG RNA is decreased and foci abolished in L3 with actin-GAL4-driven RNAi to AAGAG, without affecting levels of genes whose mRNAs contain short runs of AAGAG.

Also, AAGAG RNAi results in lethality. (a-c) Left column- section of brain lobes stained with DAPI (blue) and RNA-FISH to AAGAG RNA (magenta) imaged with the same intensity. Arrows point to AAGAG …

Figure 2 with 3 supplements
AAGAG RNA is enriched in primary spermatocytes and necessary for male fertility.

(a) Confocal section of a larval testis. RNA-FISH to AAGAG = magenta, H2Av (chromatin) IF = gray, DNA (DAPI) = blue. S3, S5, and S6 refer to primary spermatocyte stages. (b) Enlarged confocal …

Figure 2—figure supplement 1
Overview of normal spermatogenesis and defects observed after AAGAG RNA depletion.

(a) Spermatogenesis in Drosophila melanogaster initiates at the apical end of the testes (Hub), where GSCs divide asymmetrically, producing gonialblasts (GBs) that begin cell-differentiation. GB …

Figure 2—figure supplement 2
Heterochromatic regions adjacent to AAGAG(n) or AG(n)-rich blocks are transcribed in primary spermatocytes, co-localize with AAGAG(n) RNA foci and do not come from the Y.

(a) Projections of Oregon R S5 spermatocytes probed for unique regions of RNA (green) adjacent to AAGAG(n) (magenta) or AAGAG(n) containing AG rich blocks. DAPI (DNA) is indicated in blue. (b) …

Figure 2—figure supplement 3
AAGAG RNA and not CUCUU RNA is substantially decreased in Bam-GAL4- driven AAGAG RNAi, and AAGAG RNA levels are increased in rescue experiments.

(a) Although visibly absent in embryos and somatic larval tissues, CUCUU RNA (green) is expressed in adult spermatocytes. Note that CUCUU RNA is localized to the S5 lumen, internal to the chromatin …

Figure 3 with 1 supplement
AAGAG RNAi depletion in mitotic germline cysts and spermatocytes (Bam-GAL4 driver) results in severe defects in sperm maturation and protamine deposition.

(a) Seminal vesicles (SVs) in testes from 0 to 6 hr old adults; DAPI (DNA) = cyan. Mature sperm nuclei visible as thin, elongated DAPI signals in the scrambled control (top, white arrow) are absent …

Figure 3—figure supplement 1
Histones are retained and DNA morphology is altered in late canoe stage AAGAG RNAi testes.

(a) Histones are retained until late canoe stage with AAGAG RNAi in primary spermatocytes but removed by early canoe stage in scrambled RNAi. (b) Canoe stage nuclei exhibit abnormal morphology with …

Model for AAGAG RNA function during spermatogenesis.

AAGAG RNA (magenta) present only in primary spermatocytes (light blue = chromosome territories) acts directly or indirectly to promote important processes later in sperm maturation, including the …

Tables

Table 1
Male fertility in AAGAG RNAi with GAL4 drivers expressed at earlier testes stages than Bam.
GAL4 RNAi driverExpression location
(Demarco et al., 2014)
% fertile+ /- stdev.Minimum number of males per set
FascillinHub941615
PTCSoma- CySCs and cyst cells90518
Traffic JamSoma- Hub and CySCs97412
Dpp1Soma- CySCs and early cyst cells96617
NanosGermline- GSCs and early germline cysts83513
Table 2
Oligos for RNA probes.
Repeat or regionOligo with T3 antisense promoter
CAGC(n)CAGCCAGCCAGCCAGCCAGCCAGCTCTCCCTTTAGTGAGGGTTAATT
CCCA(n)CCCACCCACCCACCCACCCACCCACCCATCTCCCTTTAGTGAGGGTTAATT
CATTA(n)CATTACATTACATTACATTACATTATCTCCCTTTAGTGAGGGTTAATT
CGGAG(n)CGGAGCGGAGCGGAGCGGAGCGGAGTCTCCCTTTAGTGAGGGTTAATT
CGA(n)CGACGACGACGACGACGACGACGATCTCCCTTTAGTGAGGGTTAATT
CAACT(n)CAACTCAACTCAACTCAACTCAACTTCTCCCTTTAGTGAGGGTTAATT
CGAAG(n)CGAAGCGAAGCGAAGCGAAGCGAAGTCTCCCTTTAGTGAGGGTTAATT
CCCCAG(n)CCCCAGCCCCAGCCCCAGCCCCAGTCTCCCTTTAGTGAGGGTTAATT
CCGAG(n)CCGAGCCGAGCCGAGCCGAGCCGAGTCTCCCTTTAGTGAGGGTTAATT
CGGAA(n)CGGAACGGAACGGAACGGAACGGAATCTCCCTTTAGTGAGGGTTAATT
CACCC(n)CACCCCACCCCACCCCACCCCACCCTCTCCCTTTAGTGAGGGTTAATT
CTAGT(n)CTAGTCTAGTCTAGTCTAGTCTAGTTCTCCCTTTAGTGAGGGTTAATT
CATCG(n)CATCGCATCGCATCGCATCGCATCGTCTCCCTTTAGTGAGGGTTAATT
CAT(n)CATCATCATCATCATCATCATCATTCTCCCTTTAGTGAGGGTTAATT
CAAAC(n)CAAACCAAACCAAACCAAACCAAACTCTCCCTTTAGTGAGGGTTAATT
CGAAA(n)CGAAACGAAACGAAACGAAACGAAATCTCCCTTTAGTGAGGGTTAATT
CATAT(n)CATATCATATCATATCATATCATATTCTCCCTTTAGTGAGGGTTAATT
GAAA(n)GAAAGAAAGAAAGAAAGAAAGAAATCTCCCTTTAGTGAGGGTTAATT
CAGAA(n)CAGAACAGAACAGAACAGAACAGAATCTCCCTTTAGTGAGGGTTAATT
AAGGAG(n)AAGGAGAAGGAGAAGGAGAAGGAGAAGGAGTCTCCCTTTAGTGAGGGTTAATT
AAGAGG(n)AAGAGGAAGAGGAAGAGGAAGAGGAAGAGGTCTCCCTTTAGTGAGGGTTAATT
AATAC(n)AATACAATACAATACAATACAATACAATACTCTCCCTTTAGTGAGGGTTAATT
AATAG(n)AATAGAATAGAATAGAATAGAATAGAATAGTCTCCCTTTAGTGAGGGTTAATT
AATAGAC(n)AATAGACAATAGACAATAGACAATAGACTCTCCCTTTAGTGAGGGTTAATT
AATAACATAG(n)AATAACATAGAATAACATAGAATAACATAGTCTCCCTTTAGTGAGGGTTAATT
AACAC(n)AACACAACACAACACAACACAACACAACACTCTCCCTTTAGTGAGGGTTAATT
dodeca(n)ACCGAGTACGGGACCGAGTACGGGTCTCCCTTTAGTGAGGGTTAATT
GTGTT(n)GTGTTGTGTTGTGTTGTGTTGTGTTGTGTTTCTCCCTTTAGTGAGGGTTAATT
GTAAT(n)GTAATGTAATGTAATGTAATGTAATGTAATTCTCCCTTTAGTGAGGGTTAATT
GTATT(n)GTATTGTATTGTATTGTATTGTATTGTATTTCTCCCTTTAGTGAGGGTTAATT
TTAA (n)TTAATTAATTAATTAATTAATTAATTAATTAATCTCCCTTTAGTGAGGGTTAATT
CAAT (n)CAATCAATCAATCAATCAATCAATCAATCAATTCTCCCTTTAGTGAGGGTTAATT
AAGAG(n)GAGAAGAGAAGAGAAGAGAAGAGAAGAGAAGAGAATCTCCCTTTAGTGAGGGTTAATT
CTCTT(n)CTCTTCTCTTCTCTTCTCTTCTCTTCTCTTTCTCCCTTTAGTGAGGGTTAATT
359 ForwardAATTAACCCTCACTAAAGGGAGAAATGGAAATTAAATTTTTTGG
359 ReverseTTAATACGACTCACTATAGGGAGAGTTTTGAGCAGCTAATTACC
chr2R:1,825,641–1825699 senseGGCAGTTTATGTGCGTACAACAACAACAGGACTGCAAACAAAACACGAAACAGATATTTTTCTCCCTTTAGTGAGGGTTAATT
chr2R:1,825,641–1825699 anti-senseAAAATATCTGTTTCGTGTTTTGTTTGCAGTCCTGTTGTTGTTGTACGCACATAAACTGCCTCTCCCTTTAGTGAGGGTTAATT
chr2R:1,826,691–1,826,740 senseTAGACACATCTACGAAGACACAATTCTACAAGAACTAAACAACAAAAAGTTCTCCCTTTAGTGAGGGTTAATT
chr2R:1,826,691–1,826,740 anti-senseACTTTTTGTTGTTTAGTTCTTGTAGAATTGTGTCTTCGTAGATGTGTCTATCTCCCTTTAGTGAGGGTTAATT
chrX:11,830,844–11,830,910 senseCCAAGCTTCAGGAGAAAGAGAAAGAAGAAAGCTTTAAACTTAAGGAAAGAGAAGAGAGCCTTAGGATTCTCCCTTTAGTGAGGGTTAATT
chrX:11,830,844–11,830,910 antisenseCTAAGGCTCTCTTCTCTTTCCTTAAGTTTAAAGCTTTCTTCTTTCTCTTTCTCCTGAAGCTTGGCTTTCTCCCTTTAGTGAGGGTTAATT
chrX:12,660,096–12,660,145 senseTCGCACACACACACGCAACACTTAGGCACACATAGGAGATAGAGTGAGATCTCCCTTTAGTGAGGGTTAATT
chrX:12,660,096–12,660,145 anti-senseTCTCACTCTATCTCCTATGTGTGCCTAAGTGTTGCGTGTGTGTGTGCGATCTCCCTTTAGTGAGGGTTAA TT
chrX:22,453,019–22,453,076 senseCGACAGACAGTAAAATTAAACAAACTGCGGACGCGTGTGACAGAACTAATCCAACTTTCTCCCTTTAGTGAGGGTTAATT
chrX:22,453,019–22,453,076 anti-senseAAGTTGGATTAGTTCTGTCACACGCGTCCGCAGTTTGTTTAATTTTACTGTCTGTCGTCTCCCTTTAGTGAGGGTTAATT
chr3R:3,169,758–3,169,820 antisenseTCGGAAGAGACTAAACTTGTGCATTCGATATAGCTCTTTGTCGGCCCTAGCTGCTGTAAACAATCTCCCTTTAGTGAGGGTTAATT
chr3R:3,169,758–3,169,820 senseTTGTTTACAGCAGCTAGGGCCGACAAAGAGCTATATCGAATGCACAAGTTTAGTCTCTTCCGATCTCCCTTTAGTGAGGGTTAATT
chr3R:3,170,372–3,170,441 antisenseTTAAACTATATTAAACATTGTATATAAGTATAATAGCGAATACTATTTACGTATATGTTCT
TTCATAAATTCTCCCTTTAGTGAGGGTTAATT
chr3R:3,170,372–3,170,441 senseATTTATGAAAGAACATATACGTAAATAGTATTCGCTATTATACTTATATACAATGTTTAATATAGTTTAATCTCCCTTTAGTGAGGGTTAATT
Table 3
Antibodies used for Immuno-Fluorescence.
AntibodySupplier; Cat. numberWorking concentration
Rabbit-anti H3K9me3Abcam; 88981/250
Mouse-anti H3K9me2Active Motif; 397531/250
Rabbit-anti-H2AVLake placid AM318; 97511/100
Goat anti-GFPRockland 121600-101-2151/500
Rabbit anti-H4acetylMillipore 06–5981/200
Rat anti-Mst77FElaine Dunleavy, PhD; NUI Galway, Ireland1/200
Guinea pig anti-Mst35Ba/Bb (Protamine A/B)Elaine Dunleavy, PhD; NUI Galway, Ireland1/200
Mouse anti pan-histoneMillipore MAB 34221/200
Table 4
Uniquely mapped RNA identified via phrap adjacent AAGAG(>10) containing blocks
Chre0-2hre2-4hre4-8hre8-12hre12-14hre14-16hre16-20hre20-24hr
2RNANANANANANAchr2R.1825640.1825699NA
XNANANANANANANAchrX.12660077.12660134
XNANANANANANAchrX.11830795.11830858NA
XchrX.22453019.22453120NAchrX.22453019.22453182NAchrX.22453019.22453163chrX.22453019.22453177chrX.22453019.22453093chrX.
22453019.22453196
Table 5
shRNA and overexpression oligos.
DescriptionSequence 5’−3’
shRNA to AAGAG(n)ctagcagtGAAGAGAAGAGAAGAGAAGAGtagttatattcaagcataCTCTTCTCTTCTCTTCTCTTCgcg
shRNA to AAGAG(n) complementaattcgcGAAGAGAAGAGAAGAGAAGAGtatgcttgaatataactaCTCTTCTCTTCTCTTCTCTTCactg
shRNA to scrambledctagcagtGAGAGAAAAAGGGAAAGAAGGtagttatattcaagcataCCTTCTTTCCCTTTTTCTCTCgcg
shRNA to scrambled complementaattcgcGAGAGAAAAAGGGAAAGAAGGtatgcttgaatataactaCCTTCTTTCCCTTTTTCTCTCactg
AAGAG(37) for over-expressionATCAAGACTGCTAGCAAGAGAAGAGAAGAGAAGAGAAGAGAAGAGAAGAGAAGAGAAGAGAAGAGAAGGAAGAGAAGAGAAGAGAAGAGAAGAGAAGAGAAGAGAAGAGAAGAGAAGAGAAGAGAAGAGAAGAGAAGAGAAGAGAAGAGAAGAGAAGAGAAGAGAAGAGAAGAGAAGAGAAGAGAAGAGAAGAGAAGAG
AAGAG(37) over-expression complementCCATTGACTGAATTCCTCTTCTCTTCTCTTCTCTTCTCTTCTCTTCTCTTCTCTTCTCTTCTCTTCTCTTCTCTTCTCTTCTCTTCTCTTCTCTTCTCTTCTCTTCTCTTCTCTTCTCTTCTCTTCTCTTCTCTTCTCTTCTCTTCTCTTCTCTTCTCTTCTCTTCTCTTCTCTTCTCTTCTCTTCTCTTCTCTTCTCTT
Table 6
Fly lines.
Stock name or genotypeObtained from: stock numberDescription
y[1] v[1]; P{y[+t7.7]=CaryP}attP40Bloomington: 36304Background strain for insertion of pValium20 vector containing shRNA
y[1] v[1]; P{y[+t7.7]=CaryP}attP2Bloomington: 36303Background strain for
insertion of pValium vector containing AAGAG expression construct.
y[1] sc[*] v[1]; P{y[+t7.7] v[+t1.8]=VALIUM20-mCherry}attP2Bloomington: 35785Control strain for RNAi. Expresses dsRNA to mCherry
y[1] v[1]:UAS-AAGAG shRNA::Rainbow Transgenic Flies, IncExpresses shRNA under UAS promoter targeting AAGAG(n)
y[1] v[1]:UAS-scramble shRNA::Rainbow Transgenic Flies, IncExpresses shRNA under UAS promoter targeting random AG containing sequences
y[1] w[67c23]; P{w[+mC]=dpp-GAL4.PS}6A/TM3, Ser[1]Bloomington: 7007Dpp-GAL4
y[1] v[1]::UAS-AAGAG(37)Rainbow Transgenic Flies, IncExpresses a 187 base repeat of AAGAG RNA under a UAS promoter
C(1;Y)1, y[1] w[A738]: y[+]/0 and C(1)RM, y[1] v[1]/0Bloomington:2494XO (Y chromosome deficient males)
y[*] w[*]; P{w[+mW.hs]=GawB}NP1233/CyO,
P{w[-]=UAS lacZ.UW14}UW14
Kyoto: 103948Fascillin-GAL4
y[*] w[*]; P{w[+mW.hs]=GawB}NP1624/CyO,
P{w[-]=UAS lacZ.UW14}UW14
Kyoto:104055Traffic Jam-GAL4
w[*]; P{w[+mW.hs]=GawB}ptc[559.1]Kyoto: 103948PTC-GAL4
:: nanos-Gal4, dcr2-UAS/TM3 sbUnknownNanos-GAL4
w;;bamGAL4, UAS-dicer2UnknownBam-GAL4
y[1] w[*]::P{w[+mC]=Act5 C-GAL4}17bFO1/TM6B, Tb[1]Bloomington: stock 3954Expresses GAL4 ubiquitously
under control of Act5C promoter
Table 7
Quantification of post-canoe stage sperm DNA morphological defects in 4–7 day old testes.
NNormal bundleLagging bundleKinkedKnottedNeedle
eyed
Decondensed
Scrambled RNAi1224000
2976000
32150000
4510000
52910000
6620000
AAGAG RNAi1082002
2180220
3015210
4001000
5012110
6015100
7003300
8000010
9124110
10352420
112214010
12149110
AAGAG RNA (Rescue)1012000
2522000
3711000
4836300
5009000
6446000
7843000
8967000
91115000
10824000
11302000
12306100
13228000
14575010
15503000
16555100
17343000
18516000
193115100
20321010
Table 8
Quantification of canoe stage DNA morphological defects, in 4–7 day old testes
NNormal canoeAbnormal canoe
Scrambled RNAi120
271
361
435
591
651
AAGAG RNAi110
201
301
411
500
601
700
824
912
1002
1112
1236
1327
1415
AAGAG RNA (Rescue)174
232
303
404
503
600
714
834
968
1033
1110
1222
1389
1416
1502
1679
1701
1832
1924
2011
Table 9
qPCR oligos.
mRNA targetSequence 5’−3’
Actin-5c ForwardCAGCCAGCAGTCGTCTAATC
Actin-5c ReverseACAACCAGAGCAGCAACTTC
Rpl32 ForwardCGATGTTGG GCATCAGATAC
Rpl32 ReverseCCCAAGATCGTGAAGAAGC
pip5K59B ForwardCTCCTGCTCTGCTATCGTATTC
pip5K59B ReverseAGAGGAGCCATCAACATCAC
Peb ForwardTGGTTGGACCGCTTAACATAG
Peb ReverseGCGACACCAAGAGCCATAA
CG33080 ForwardATTACGATCGCGGGCTTATC
CG33080 ReverseCGGTTCTAGGAGCACTGATATAAA

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