MiR-124 synergism with ELAVL3 enhances target gene expression to promote neuronal maturity [Rat_Neurons_RNAseq]

Neuron-enriched microRNAs (miRNAs), miR-9/9* and miR-124 (miR-9/9*-124), direct cell fate switching of human fibroblasts to neurons when ectopically expressed by repressing anti-neurogenic genes. How these miRNAs function after the onset of the transcriptome switch to a neuronal fate remains unclear. Here, we identified direct targets of miRNAs by Argonaute (AGO) HITS-CLIP as reprogramming cells activate the neuronal program and reveal the role of miR-124 that directly promotes the expression of its target genes associated with neuronal development and function. Overall design: E18 rat cortical neurons were treated with either DMSO control or topotecan (TOPO) to reduce long gene expression. Duplicates for each condition were collected for total RNA extraction followed by RNAseq.