let-7 miRNA and lin-46 mRNA are the two essential targets of the LIN28 RNA-binding protein in developmental timing

Abstract

The RNA-binding protein (RBP) LIN28 is a key regulator of temporal cell fates, promoting stem cell identity and suppressing differentiation. It regulates the processing of the let-7 miRNA but additionally binds thousands of mRNAs, suggesting a model of coordinated regulation across many targets. Yet, direct evidence for such a network function is scarce for both LIN28 and other broadly binding RBPs. Here, we show that in C. elegans larvae, loss of LIN28 leaves the levels of most LIN28-bound transcripts unchanged. The only exceptions are the lin-46 mRNA and the let-7 miRNA. Comprehensive genetic analyses identify these two as the functionally essential LIN28 targets: lin-28; lin-46; let-7 triple null mutant animals exhibit complete suppression of the lin-28(0) precocious heterochronic phenotypes and recapitulate the retarded lin-46; let-7 double mutant phenotypes. Conversely, simultaneous overexpression of lin-46 and let-7 mimics LIN28 loss. Unexpectedly, LIN28 controls not only cell identity but also the tempo of development, using the same two targets. These findings establish a close functional link between the heterochronic pathway and the clock regulating developmental tempo and demonstrate that an RBP can achieve complex biological outcomes through a small set of targets.