LIN28A binds to meiotic gene transcripts and modulates their translation in male germ cells

The RNA-binding protein LIN28A is required for maintaining tissue homeostasis, including in the reproductive system, but the underlying mechanisms on how LIN28A regulates germline progenitors remain unclear. Here, we dissected LIN28A-binding targets using high-throughput sequencing of RNAs isolated by crosslinking immunoprecipitation (HITS-CLIP) in the mouse testes. LIN28A preferentially binds to mRNA coding sequence (CDS) or 3'UTR regions at sites enriched wiGAG(A) sequences. Further investigation of Lin28a null mouse testes indicated that meiosis-associated mRNAs bound by LIN28A were differentially expressed. Next, ribosome profiling revealed that the mRNA levels of these targets were significantly reduced in polysome fractions, and their protein expression levels decreased in the Lin28a null mouse testes, even when meiotic arrest in the null mouse testes was not apparent. Collectively, these findings provide a set of LIN28A-regulated target mRNAs, and show that LIN28A binding might be mechanism through which LIN28A acts to regulate undifferentiated spermatogonia fates and male fertility in mammals. Triplicate identification of transcripts associated with LIN28A in mice testes, triplicate mRNA profiles profile of Lin28a knockout and control in 10dpp mouse testes were generated by deep sequencing.