AUTHOR=Kadakkuzha Beena M. , Liu Xin-An , Narvaez Maria , Kaye Alexandra , Akhmedov Komolitdin , Puthanveettil Sathyanarayanan V. 

TITLE=Asymmetric localization of natural antisense RNA of neuropeptide sensorin in Aplysia sensory neurons during aging and activity

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Genetics

VOLUME=5

YEAR=2014

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/genetics/articles/10.3389/fgene.2014.00084

DOI=10.3389/fgene.2014.00084

ISSN=1664-8021

ABSTRACT=<p>Despite the advances in our understanding of transcriptome, regulation and function of its non-coding components continue to be poorly understood. Here we searched for natural antisense transcript for sensorin (NAT-SRN), a neuropeptide expressed in the presynaptic sensory neurons of gill-withdrawal reflex of the marine snail <italic>Aplysia californica</italic>. Sensorin (SRN) has a key role in learning and long-term memory storage in <italic>Aplysia</italic>. We have now identified NAT-SRN in the central nervous system (CNS) and have confirmed its expression by northern blotting and fluorescent RNA <italic>in situ</italic> hybridization. Quantitative analysis of NAT-SRN in micro-dissected cell bodies and processes of sensory neurons suggest that NAT-SRN is present in the distal neuronal processes along with sense transcripts. Importantly, aging is associated with reduction in levels of NAT-SRN in sensory neuron processes. Furthermore, we find that forskolin, an activator of CREB signaling, differentially alters the distribution of SRN and NAT-SRN. These studies reveal novel insights into physiological regulation of natural antisense RNAs.</p>