A population of adult satellite-like cells in Drosophila is maintained through a switch in RNA-isoforms

• DOI: 10.7554/elife.35954
• Publication Date: 2018-04-09T12:00:15Z
• Authors: Hadi Boukhatmi; Sarah Bray
• Keywords: Developmental Biology

Adult stem cells are important for tissue maintenance and repair. One key question is how such specified then protected from differentiation a prolonged period. Investigating the of Drosophila muscle progenitors (MPs) we demonstrate that it involves switch in zfh1/ZEB1 RNA-isoforms. Differentiation into functional muscles accompanied by expression miR-8/miR-200, which targets major zfh1-long RNA isoform decreases Zfh1 protein. Through activity Notch pathway, subset MPs produce an alternate zfh1-short isoform, lacks miR-8 seed site. protein thus maintained these cells, enabling them to escape persist as adult. There, like mammalian satellite they contribute homeostasis. Such preferential regulation specific with differential sensitivity miRs, powerful mechanism maintaining population poised may be widespread significance.