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miR-8 microRNAs regulate the response to osmotic stress in zebrafish embryos

¹ Department of Biological Sciences and ² Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235

Correspondence to James G. Patton: James.G.Patton{at}Vanderbilt.edu

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are highly conserved small RNAs that act as translational regulators of gene expression, exerting their influence by selectively targeting mRNAs bearing complementary sequence elements. These RNAs function in diverse aspects of animal development and physiology. Because of an ability to act as rapid responders at the level of translation, miRNAs may also influence stress response. In this study, we show that the miR-8 family of miRNAs regulates osmoregulation in zebrafish embryos. Ionocytes, which are a specialized cell type scattered throughout the epidermis, are responsible for pH and ion homeostasis during early development before gill formation. The highly conserved miR-8 family is expressed in ionocytes and enables precise control of ion transport by modulating the expression of Nherf1, which is a regulator of apical trafficking of transmembrane ion transporters. Ultimately, disruption of miR-8 family member function leads to an inability to respond to osmotic stress and blocks the ability to properly traffic and/or cluster transmembrane glycoproteins at the apical surface of ionocytes.

© 2009 Flynt et al.
This article is distributed under the terms of an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike–No Mirror Sites license for the first six months after the publication date (see http://www.jcb.org/misc/terms.shtml). After six months it is available under a Creative Commons License (Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported license, as described at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/).

Abbreviations used in this paper: ANOVA, analysis of variance; BCIP, 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl phosphate; dpf, day postfertilization; hpf, hour postfertilization; HRC, H⁺ pump–rich cell; LNA, locked nucleic acid; miRNA, microRNA; MRC, mitochondria-rich cell; MRE, miRNA recognition element; NBT, nitro blue tetrazolium; NHE, Na⁺/H⁺ exchanger; NRC, Na⁺-K⁺ pump–rich cell; SG, stress granule; UIC, uninjected control; UTR, untranslated region.

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