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bioRxiv · 10.1101/2020.04.05.026831

miRNAs and neural alternative polyadenylation specify the virgin behavioral state

Garaulet, D.·Zhang, B.·Wei, L.·Li, E.·Lai, E. C.
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Abstract

How are diverse regulatory strategies integrated to impose appropriately patterned gene expression that underlie in vivo phenotypes? Here, we reveal how coordinated miRNA regulation and neural-specific alternative polyadenylation (APA) of a single locus controls complex behaviors. Our entry was the unexpected observation that deletion of Bithorax-Complex (BX-C) miRNAs converts virgin female flies into a subjective post-mated behavioral state, normally induced by seminal proteins following copulation. Strikingly, this behavioral switch is directly attributable to misregulation of homothorax (hth). We localize specific CNS abdominal neurons where de-repressed Hth compromises virgin behavior in BX-C miRNA mutants. Moreover, we use genome engineering to demonstrate that precise mutation of hth 3UTR sites for BX-C miRNAs, or deletion of its neural 3 UTR extension containing most of these sites, both induce post-mated behaviors in virgins. Thus, facilitation of miRNA-mediated repression by neural APA is required for virgin females to execute behaviors appropriate to their internal state.

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Garaulet, D., Zhang, B., Wei, L., Li, E., Lai, E. C.. 2020-04-06. miRNAs and neural alternative polyadenylation specify the virgin behavioral state. https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.04.05.026831

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