MicroRNAs provide the first evidence of genetic link between diapause and aging in vertebrates

Abstract

Diapause and aging are controlled by overlapping genetic mechanisms in C.elegans and these include microRNAs (miRNAs). Here, we investigated miRNA regulation in embryos of annual killifish that naturally undergo diapause to overcome desiccation of their habitats. We compared miRNA expression in diapausing and non-diapausing embryos in three independent lineages of killifish. We identified 13 miRNAs with similar regulation in all three lineages. One of these is miR-430, which is known as key regulator of early embryonic development in fish. We further tested whether this regulation overlaps with the aging-dependent regulation of miRNAs in one annual species: Nothobranchius furzeri. We found that miR-101a and miR-18a are regulated in the same direction during diapause and aging. These results provide the first evidence that overlapping genetic networks control diapause and aging in vertebrates and suggest that diapause mimics aging to some extent.