Identification and profiling of microRNAs in two developmental stages of the model cestode parasite Mesocestoides corti

BASIKA T; MACCHIAROLI N; CUCHER M; ESPÍNOLA S; KAMENETZKY L; ZAHA, A.; FERREIRA H; ROSENZVIT M C

MOLECULAR AND BIOCHEMICAL PARASITOLOGY

ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2016 vol. 210 p. 37 - 49

0166-6851

MicroRNAs (miRNAs), a class of small non-coding RNAs, are key regulators of gene expression at post-transcriptional level and play essential roles in fundamental biological processes such as metabolism anddevelopment. The particular developmental characteristics of cestode parasites highlight the importanceof studying miRNA gene regulation in these organisms. Here, we performed a comprehensive analysis ofmiRNAs in two developmental stages of the model cestode Mesocestoides corti. Using a high-throughputsequencing approach, we found transcriptional evidence of 42 miRNA loci in tetrathyridia larvae and stro-bilated worms. Tetrathyridium and strobilated worm-specific miRNAs were found, as well as differentialyexpressed miRNAs between these developmental stages, suggesting miRNA regulation of stage-specificfeatures. Moreover, it was shown that uridylation is a differential mechanism of post-transcriptionalmodification of M. corti miRNAs. The whole set of M. corti miRNAs represent 33 unique miRNA families,and confirm the remarkable loss of conserved miRNA families within platyhelminth parasites, reflectingtheir relatively low morphological complexity and high adaptation to parasitism. Overall, the presentedresults provide a valuable platform to studies aiming to identify and characterize novel miRNA-basedmolecular mechanisms of post-transcriptional gene regulation in cestodes, necessary for the elucidationof developmental aspects of the complex biology of these parasites.