RNA helicase MUT-14-dependent gene silencing triggered in C. elegans by short antisense RNAs.
Posttranscriptional gene silencing in Caenorhabditis elegans results from exposure to double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), a phenomenon designated as RNA interference (RNAi), or from co-suppression, in which transgenic DNA leads to silencing of both the transgene and the endogenous gene. Here we show that single-stranded RNA oligomers of antisense polarity can also be potent inducers of gene silencing. As is the case for co-suppression, antisense RNAs act independently of the RNAi genes rde-1 and rde-4 but require the mutator/RNAi gene mut-7 and a putative DEAD box RNA helicase, mut-14. Our data favor the hypothesis that gene silencing is accomplished by RNA primer extension using the mRNA as template, leading to dsRNA that is subsequently degraded.
Tijsterman
Marcel
M
Hubrecht Laboratory, Center for Biomedical Genetics, Uppsalalaan 8, 3584 CT, Utrecht, Netherlands.
Ketting
René F
RF
Okihara
Kristy L
KL
Sijen
Titia
T
Plasterk
Ronald H A
RH
D020816:Amino Acid Motifs; D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000196:embryology / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020868:Gene Silencing; D017238:Genes, Helminth; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009154:Mutation; D009843:Oligoribonucleotides / Q000235:genetics; D020365:RNA Helicases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016372:RNA, Antisense / Q000235:genetics*; D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded / Q000235:genetics; D018510:RNA, Helminth / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins
D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D009843:Oligoribonucleotides; C117258:POS-1 protein, C elegans; D016372:RNA, Antisense; D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded; D018510:RNA, Helminth; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases; C000600926:MUT-14 protein, C elegans; D020365:RNA Helicases