Cell-type specific sequencing of microRNAs from complex animal tissues

Abstract

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play an essential role in the post-transcriptional regulation of animal development and physiology. However, in vivo studies aimed at linking miRNA-function to the biology of distinct cell types within complex tissues remain challenging, partly because in vivo miRNA-profiling methods lack cellular resolution. We report microRNome by methylation-dependent sequencing (mime-seq), an in vivo enzymatic small RNA-tagging approach that enables high-throughput sequencing of tissue- and cell-type-specific miRNAs in animals. The method combines cell-type-specific 3´-terminal 2´-O-methylation of animal miRNAs by a genetically encoded, plant-specific methyltransferase (HEN1), with chemoselective small RNA cloning and high-throughput sequencing. We show that mime-seq uncovers the miRNomes of specific cells within C. elegans and Drosophila at unprecedented specificity and sensitivity, enabling miRNA profiling with single-cell resolution in whole animals. Mime-seq overcomes current challenges in cell-type-specific small RNA profiling and provides novel entry points for understanding the function of miRNAs in spatially restricted physiological settings.