A role for the RNase III enzyme DCR-1 in RNA interference and germ line development in Caenorhabditis elegans.
An early event in RNA interference (RNAi) is the cleavage of the initiating double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) to short pieces, 21 to 23 nucleotides in length. Here we describe a null mutation in dicer-1 (dcr-1), a gene proposed to encode the enzyme that generates these short RNAs. We find that dcr-1(-/-) animals have defects in RNAi under some, but not all, conditions. Mutant animals have germ line defects that lead to sterility, suggesting that cleavage of dsRNA to short pieces is a requisite event in normal development.
Knight
S W
SW
Department of Biochemistry and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Utah, 50 North Medical Drive, Room 211, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA.
Bass
B L
BL
D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D012734:Disorders of Sex Development; D004722:Endoribonucleases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D020868:Gene Silencing; D017238:Genes, Helminth; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009154:Mutation; D009865:Oocytes / Q000166:cytology; D010641:Phenotype; D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D018510:RNA, Helminth / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D043244:Ribonuclease III; D017384:Sequence Deletion
D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded; D018510:RNA, Helminth; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D004722:Endoribonucleases; D043244:Ribonuclease III