Dop1 enhances conspecific olfactory attraction by inhibiting miR-9a maturation in locusts

Xiaojiao Guo, Zongyuan Ma, Baozhen Du, Ting Li, Wudi Li, Lingling Xu, Jing He and Le Kang ()
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Xiaojiao Guo: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Zongyuan Ma: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Baozhen Du: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Ting Li: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Wudi Li: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Lingling Xu: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Jing He: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Le Kang: Chinese Academy of Sciences

Nature Communications, 2018, vol. 9, issue 1, 1-16

Abstract: Abstract Dopamine receptor 1 (Dop1) mediates locust attraction behaviors, however, the mechanism by which Dop1 modulates this process remains unknown to date. Here, we identify differentially expressed small RNAs associated with locust olfactory attraction after activating and inhibiting Dop1. Small RNA transcriptome analysis and qPCR validation reveal that Dop1 activation and inhibition downregulates and upregulates microRNA-9a (miR-9a) expression, respectively. miR-9a knockdown in solitarious locusts increases their attraction to gregarious volatiles, whereas miR-9a overexpression in gregarious locusts reduces olfactory attraction. Moreover, miR-9a directly targets adenylyl cyclase 2 (ac2), causing its downregulation at the mRNA and protein levels. ac2 responds to Dop1 and mediates locust olfactory attraction. Mechanistically, Dop1 inhibits miR-9a expression through inducing the dissociation of La protein from pre-miR-9a and resulting in miR-9a maturation inhibition. Our results reveal a Dop1–miR-9a–AC2 circuit that modulates locust olfactory attraction underlying aggregation. This study suggests that miRNAs act as key messengers in the GPCR signaling.

Date: 2018
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-03437-z

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