An updated compendium of Caenorhabditis elegans RNA-binding proteins and their regulation

Abstract

Although gene regulation occurs both transcriptionally and post-transcriptionally, systems-level characterizations of RNA-binding proteins are still lacking compared to transcription factors. RNA-binding proteins have gene expression functions that include regulating RNA splicing, localization, translation, and turnover. Mapping the regulatory networks that they are involved in will thus be critical for a comprehensive understanding of gene regulation during development. We updated the wRBP1.0 compendium of putative Caenorhabditis elegans RNA-binding proteins to 928 proteins in WS290 and have cataloged their expression and developmental phenotypes using existing functional genomic resources. Many RNA-binding protein genes are expressed in a cell type- and developmental stage-specific manner in the embryo, emphasizing that RNA-binding proteins can contribute to distinct gene expression patterns. In addition, RNA-binding proteins are highly conserved, and their loss can result in a wide range of developmental defects. This updated compendium will provide a resource for functional studies of RNA-binding protein regulatory networks in C. elegans.