title: Transgene-mediated cosuppression in the C. elegans germ line.
abstract: Functional silencing of chromosomal loci can be induced by transgenes (cosuppression) or by introduction of double-stranded RNA (RNAi). Here, we demonstrate the generality of and define rules for a transgene-mediated cosuppression phenomenon in the Caenorhabditis elegans germ line. Functional repression is not a consequence of persistent physical association between transgenes and endogenous genes or of mutations in affected genes. The cosuppression mechanism likely involves an RNA mediator that defines its target specificity, reminiscent of RNAi. Cosuppression is strongly abrogated in rde-2 and mut-7 mutants, but is not blocked in an rde-1 mutant, indicating that cosuppression and RNAi have overlapping but distinct genetic requirements.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Developmental Biology and Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, CA 94305-5329, USA.
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Dernburg
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zalevsky
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Colaiácovo
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Villeneuve
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D020868:Gene Silencing; D005854:Germ Cells; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics; D019076:Transgenes
chemical_list: D012313:RNA