Morpholino oligos: making sense of antisense?
Since morpholino oligos were first introduced as a means to inhibit gene function in embryos, in the Spring of 2000, they have been tested in a range of model organisms, including sea urchin, ascidian, zebrafish, frog, chick, and mouse. This review surveys the results of these studies and examines the successes and limitations of the approach for targeting maternal and zygotic gene function. The evidence so far suggests that, with careful controls, morpholinos provide a relatively simple and rapid method to study gene function.
Heasman
Janet
J
Division of Developmental Biology, Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229-3039, USA. heabq9@chmcc.org
D000014:Abnormalities, Drug-Induced / Q000209:etiology; D000818:Animals; D002642:Chick Embryo; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development / Q000187:drug effects; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D018390:Gene Targeting; D008322:Mammals / Q000196:embryology; D051379:Mice; D009024:Morphogenesis / Q000187:drug effects; D009025:Morpholines / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D009154:Mutation; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D010641:Phenotype; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D012617:Sea Urchins; D014561:Urochordata / Q000196:embryology; D014982:Xenopus laevis; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000196:embryology; D015053:Zygote / Q000187:drug effects
D009025:Morpholines; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense; D012333:RNA, Messenger