Tissue-specific silencing of integrated transgenes achieved through endogenous RNA interference in Caenorhabditis elegans

• Published in: RNA biology Vol. 21; no. 1; pp. 1 - 10
• Main Authors: Chen, Siyu, Liu, Weihong, Xiong, Lei, Tao, Zhiju, Zhao, Di
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Taylor & Francis 2024; Taylor & Francis Group
• Subjects: C. elegans; endo-RNAi; Research Paper; tissue-specific; transgene silencing; tissue-specific; transgene silencing; C. elegans; endo-RNAi
• ISSN: 1547-6286; 1555-8584
• DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2024.2332856

Transgene silencing is a common phenomenon observed in , particularly in the germline, but the precise mechanisms underlying this process remain elusive. Through an analysis of the transcription factors profile of , we discovered that the expression of several transgenic reporter lines exhibited tissue-specific silencing, specifically in the intestine of . Notably, this silencing could be reversed in mutants defective in endogenous RNA interference (RNAi). Further investigation using knock-in strains revealed that these intestine-silent genes were indeed expressed , indicating that the organism itself regulates the intestine-specific silencing. This tissue-specific silencing appears to be mediated through the endo-RNAi pathway, with the main factors of this pathway, and , are significantly enriched in the intestine. Additionally, histone modification factors, such as , are involved in this silencing mechanism. Given the crucial role of the intestine in reproduction alongside the germline, the transgene silencing observed in the intestine reflects the self-protective mechanisms employed by the organisms. In summary, our study proposed that compared to other tissues, the transgenic silencing of intestine is specifically regulated by the endo-RNAi pathway.