PUBLICATION
A retroviral link to vertebrate myelination through retrotransposon-RNA-mediated control of myelin gene expression
- Authors
- Ghosh, T., Almeida, R.G., Zhao, C., Mannioui, A., Martin, E., Fleet, A., Chen, C.Z., Assinck, P., Ellams, S., Gonzalez, G.A., Graham, S.C., Rowitch, D.H., Stott, K., Adams, I., Zalc, B., Goldman, N., Lyons, D.A., Franklin, R.J.M.
- ID
- ZDB-PUB-240218-3
- Date
- 2024
- Source
- Cell 187: 814830.e23814-830.e23 (Journal)
- Registered Authors
- Almeida, Rafael, Lyons, David A.
- Keywords
- ERV, LTR, convergent evolution, endogenous retrovirus, long terminal repeat, myelination, oligodendrocyte, oligodendrocyte progenitor cells, retrotransposon, transposable element
- MeSH Terms
-
- Animals
- Anura
- Gene Expression
- Myelin Sheath*/metabolism
- Oligodendroglia/metabolism
- RNA/metabolism
- Retroelements*/genetics
- Zebrafish/genetics
- PubMed
- 38364788 Full text @ Cell
Citation
Ghosh, T., Almeida, R.G., Zhao, C., Mannioui, A., Martin, E., Fleet, A., Chen, C.Z., Assinck, P., Ellams, S., Gonzalez, G.A., Graham, S.C., Rowitch, D.H., Stott, K., Adams, I., Zalc, B., Goldman, N., Lyons, D.A., Franklin, R.J.M. (2024) A retroviral link to vertebrate myelination through retrotransposon-RNA-mediated control of myelin gene expression. Cell. 187:814830.e23814-830.e23.
Abstract
Myelin, the insulating sheath that surrounds neuronal axons, is produced by oligodendrocytes in the central nervous system (CNS). This evolutionary innovation, which first appears in jawed vertebrates, enabled rapid transmission of nerve impulses, more complex brains, and greater morphological diversity. Here, we report that RNA-level expression of RNLTR12-int, a retrotransposon of retroviral origin, is essential for myelination. We show that RNLTR12-int-encoded RNA binds to the transcription factor SOX10 to regulate transcription of myelin basic protein (Mbp, the major constituent of myelin) in rodents. RNLTR12-int-like sequences (which we name RetroMyelin) are found in all jawed vertebrates, and we further demonstrate their function in regulating myelination in two different vertebrate classes (zebrafish and frogs). Our study therefore suggests that retroviral endogenization played a prominent role in the emergence of vertebrate myelin.
Genes / Markers
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping