Validation of miRNAs and mRNAs-target interactions involved in nervous system development in female embryos of Apis mellifera

• Grant number: 12/02061-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: July 16, 2012
• End date: July 15, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biochemistry - Molecular Biology
• Principal Investigator: Zilá Luz Paulino Simões
• Grantee: Flávia Cristina de Paula Freitas
• Supervisor: Charles Claudianos
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto (FMRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: University of Queensland, Brisbane (UQ), Australia
• Associated to the scholarship: 10/08332-4 - Transcriptome analysis of embryonic development in Apis mellifera females, BP.DR

Abstract

Based on regulatory function of miRNAS, the aim of Flávia's PhD project (FAPESP Process No. 2010/08332-4) is identify interactions between microRNAs and target RNAs that control female embryonic development of Apis mellifera. Thus, we built mRNAs and small RNAs libraries for five embryonic developmental phases: clivage, blastula, gastrulation, germ-band extension and retraction, and larval body formation. Three hundred and eighteen miRNAs-target interactions were suggested by antagonistic profiles of miRNAs and mRNAs and by miRNAs binding-sites in 3' UTR of targets. Thus, the next step is to validate interactions in which genes involved in nervous system development take part. First, we would like to refine target prediction by comparing miRNA-target interactions found in our data with other insect species. Then, we would like to experimentally validate miRNA-targets using a luciferase reporter system in S2 cells. Validation experiments will be conducted in collaboration with Charles Claudianos and Alexandre dos Santos, both researchers from Queensland Brain Institute (Brisbane, Austrália). This is justified by the history of collaboration with these researchers, the experience they have with analyses of genomic sequences conserved, and the Queensland Brain Institute infrastructure that will allow us realize validation experiments. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

CRISTINO, ALEXANDRE S.; BARCHUK, ANGEL R.; FREITAS, FLAVIA C. P.; NARAYANAN, RAMESH K.; BIERGANS, STEPHANIE D.; ZHAO, ZHENGYANG; SIMOES, ZILA L. P.; REINHARD, JUDITH; CLAUDIANOS, CHARLES. Neuroligin-associated microRNA-932 targets actin and regulates memory in the honeybee. NATURE COMMUNICATIONS, v. 5, NOV 2014. (11/03171-5, 12/02061-4)

FREITAS, FLAVIA C. P.; PIRES, CAMILLA V.; CLAUDIANOS, CHARLES; CRISTINO, ALEXANDRE S.; SIMOES, ZILA L. P.. MicroRNA-34 directly targets pair-rule genes and cytoskeleton component in the honey bee. SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, v. 7, JAN 18 2017. (10/08150-3, 11/03171-5, 12/02061-4, 10/08332-4)