{Reference Type}: Journal Article
{Title}: A retroviral link to vertebrate myelination through retrotransposon-RNA-mediated control of myelin gene expression.
{Author}: Ghosh T;Almeida RG;Zhao C;Mannioui A;Martin E;Fleet A;Chen CZ;Assinck P;Ellams S;Gonzalez GA;Graham SC;Rowitch DH;Stott K;Adams I;Zalc B;Goldman N;Lyons DA;Franklin RJM;
{Journal}: Cell
{Volume}: 187
{Issue}: 4
{Year}: 2024 Feb 15
{Factor}: 66.85
{DOI}: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.01.011
{Abstract}: Myelin, the insulating sheath that surrounds neuronal axons, is produced by oligodendrocytes in the central nervous system (CNS). This evolutionary innovation, which first appears in jawed vertebrates, enabled rapid transmission of nerve impulses, more complex brains, and greater morphological diversity. Here, we report that RNA-level expression of RNLTR12-int, a retrotransposon of retroviral origin, is essential for myelination. We show that RNLTR12-int-encoded RNA binds to the transcription factor SOX10 to regulate transcription of myelin basic protein (Mbp, the major constituent of myelin) in rodents. RNLTR12-int-like sequences (which we name RetroMyelin) are found in all jawed vertebrates, and we further demonstrate their function in regulating myelination in two different vertebrate classes (zebrafish and frogs). Our study therefore suggests that retroviral endogenization played a prominent role in the emergence of vertebrate myelin.