Summary MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small regulatory RNAs processed from stem-loop regions of primary transcripts (pri-miRNAs), with the choice of stem-loops for initial processing largely determining what becomes a miRNA. To identify sequence and structural features influencing this choice, we determined cleavage efficiencies of >50,000 variants of three human pri-miRNAs, focusing on the regions intractable to previous high-throughput analyses. Our analyses revealed a mismatched motif in the basal stem region, a preference for maintaining or improving base-pairing throughout the remainder of the stem, and a narrow stem-length preference of 35±1 base pairs. Incorporating these features with previously identified features, including three primary-sequence motifs, yielded a unifying model defining mammalian pri-miRNAs, in which motifs help orient processing and increase efficiency, with the presence of more motifs compensating for structural defects. This model enables generation of artificial pri-miRNAs, designed de novo, without reference to any natural sequence, yet processed more efficiently than natural pri-miRNAs.

Summary Genome duality in ciliated protozoa offers a unique system to showcase their epigenome as a model of inheritance. In Oxytricha, the somatic genome is responsible for vegetative growth, while the germline contributes DNA to the next sexual generation. Somatic nuclear development removes all transposons and other so-called “junk DNA”, which comprise ~95% of the germline. We demonstrate that Piwi-interacting small RNAs (piRNAs) from the maternal nucleus can specify genomic regions for retention in this process. Oxytricha piRNAs map primarily to the somatic genome, representing the ~5% of the germline that is retained. Furthermore, injection of synthetic piRNAs corresponding to normally-deleted regions leads to their retention in later generations. Our findings highlight small RNAs (sRNAs) as powerful transgenerational carriers of epigenetic information for genome programming.

Ciliates are an ancient and diverse group of microbial eukaryotes that have emerged as powerful models for RNA-mediated epigenetic inheritance. They possess extensive sets of both tiny and long noncoding RNAs that, together with a suite of proteins that includes transposases, orchestrate a broad cascade of genome rearrangements during somatic nuclear development. This Review emphasizes three important themes: the remarkable role of RNA in shaping genome structure, recent discoveries that unify many deeply diverged ciliate genetic systems, and a surprising evolutionary “sign change” in the role of small RNAs between major species groups.

We suggest for the first time the use of γ-valerolactone (GVL)/H2 O as solvent and reaction medium for the fractionation of wood to recover pure cellulose, uniform sugar components from hemicellulose, and a pure lignin fraction. The yield of the pulp residue could reach 40.3 % with a high cellulose purity of 90.3 %.

Films comprising nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) are suitable substrates for flexible devices in analytical, sensor, diagnostic, and display technologies. However, some major challenges in such developments include their high moisture sensitivity and the complexity of current methods available for functionalization and patterning. In this work, we present a facile process for tailoring the surface wettability and functionality of NFC films by a fast and versatile approach. First, the NFC films were coated with a layer of reactive nanoporous silicone nanofilament by polycondensation of trichlorovinylsilane (TCVS). The TCVS afforded reactive vinyl groups, thereby enabling simple UV-induced functionalization of NFC films with various thiol-containing molecules via the photo "click" thiol-ene reaction. Modification with perfluoroalkyl thiols resulted in robust superhydrophobic surfaces, which could then be further transformed into transparent slippery lubricant-infused NFC films that displayed repellency against both aqueous and organic liquids with surface tensions as low as 18 mN·m. Finally, transparent and flexible NFC films incorporated hydrophilic micropatterns by modification with OH, NH, or COOH surface groups, enabling space-resolved superhydrophobic-hydrophilic domains. Flexibility, transparency, patternability, and perfect superhydrophobicity of the produced nanocellulose substrates warrants their application in biosensing, display protection, and biomedical and diagnostics devices.

Increasing evidence suggests that parentally supplied RNA plays crucial roles during eukaryotic development. This epigenetic contribution may regulate gene expression from the earliest stages. Although present in a variety of eukaryotes, maternally inherited characters are especially prominent in ciliated protozoa, in which parental noncoding RNA molecules instruct whole-genome reorganization. This includes removal of nearly all noncoding DNA and sorting the remaining fragments, producing extremely gene-rich somatic genomes. Chromosome fragmentation and extensive replication produce variable DNA copy numbers in the somatic genome. Understanding the forces that drive and regulate copy number change is fundamental. We show that RNA molecules present in parental cells during sexual reproduction can regulate chromosome copy number in the developing nucleus of the ciliate Oxytricha . Experimentally induced changes in RNA abundance can both increase and decrease the levels of corresponding DNA molecules in progeny, demonstrating epigenetic inheritance of chromosome copy number. These results suggest that maternal RNA, in addition to controlling gene expression or DNA processing, can also program DNA amplification levels.

Microprocessor initiates processing of microRNAs (miRNAs) from hairpin regions of primary transcripts (pri-miRNAs). Pri-miRNAs often contain multiple miRNA hairpins, and this clustered arrangement can assist processing of otherwise defective hairpins. We find that miR-451, which derives from a hairpin with a suboptimal terminal loop and a suboptimal stem length, accumulates to 40-fold higher levels when clustered with a helper hairpin. This phenomenon tolerates changes in hairpin order, linker lengths, and the identities of the helper hairpin, the recipient hairpin, the linker-sequence, and the RNA polymerase that transcribes the hairpins. It can act reciprocally and need not occur co-transcriptionally. It requires Microprocessor recognition of the helper hairpin and linkage of the two hairpins, yet predominantly manifests after helper-hairpin processing. It also requires Enhancer of Rudimentary Homolog (ERH), which copurifies with Microprocessor and can dimerize and interact with other proteins that can dimerize, suggesting a model in which one Microprocessor recruits another Microprocessor. eTOCMicroRNAs are processed from RNA hairpins. Multiple microRNA hairpins often reside in the same primary transcript. Fang and Bartel find that this clustered arrangement can enhance processing of suboptimal hairpins in mammalian cells, and they identify ERH as a protein that both copurifies with Microprocessor and enables this cluster assistance.

Highlights d miRNA hairpins can assist in processing neighboring hairpins in mammalian cells d The assistance scales with Microprocessor recognition of the linked helper hairpin d Processing of the recipient hairpin is usually realized after processing of the helper d ERH, which copurifies with Microprocessor, enables cluster assistance