Transport of dsRNA into cells by the transmembrane protein SID-1.
RNA interference (RNAi) spreads systemically in plants and nematodes to silence gene expression distant from the site of initiation. We previously identified a gene, sid-1, essential for systemic but not cell-autonomous RNAi in Caenorhabditis elegans. Here, we demonstrate that SID-1 is a multispan transmembrane protein that sensitizes Drosophila cells to soaking RNAi with a potency that is dependent on double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) length. Further analyses revealed that SID-1 enables passive cellular uptake of dsRNA. These data indicate that systemic RNAi in C. elegans involves SID-1-mediated intercellular transport of dsRNA.
Feinberg
Evan H
EH
Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, 16 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
Hunter
Craig P
CP
D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001692:Biological Transport; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000235:genetics*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D002460:Cell Line; D004058:Diffusion; D004330:Drosophila; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D034622:RNA Interference; D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D014162:Transfection
D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C452203:SID-1 protein, C elegans; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate