AMPK regulates small RNA pathway prevalence to mediate soma-to-germ line communication and establish germline stem cell quiescence

Recent work has further indicated that this transfer of information can breach the soma-to-germ line barrier, thus permitting changes in germline gene expression in response to cellular decisions made in somatic lineages. We show that during periods of extended energy stress AMPK alters small RNA biogenesis in somatic cells to regulate the quiescence of germline stem cells.

By combining genetic analyses and a method for miRNA imaging, we demonstrate that AMPK activity functions as a molecular switch driving the re-allocation of the endoribonuclease Dicer to the miRNA synthesis pathway during the dauer stage of C. elegans. By acting on components of the miRNA synthesis machinery, AMPK fine-tunes the production of a population of somatic miRNAs that act as a “pro-quiescence” signal to maintain germline integrity, thus bridging the gap between the soma and the germ line by altering small RNA homeostasis.