title: MicroRNA-responsive 'sensor' transgenes uncover Hox-like and other developmentally regulated patterns of vertebrate microRNA expression.
abstract: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of short ( approximately 22-nt) noncoding RNA molecules that downregulate expression of their mRNA targets. Since their discovery as regulators of developmental timing in Caenorhabditis elegans, hundreds of miRNAs have been identified in both animals and plants. Here, we report a technique for visualizing detailed miRNA expression patterns in mouse embryos. We elucidate the tissue-specific expression of several miRNAs during embryogenesis, including two encoded by genes embedded in homeobox (Hox) clusters, miR-10a and miR-196a. These two miRNAs are expressed in patterns that are markedly reminiscent of those of Hox genes. Furthermore, miR-196a negatively regulates Hoxb8, indicating that its restricted expression pattern probably reflects a role in the patterning function of the Hox complex.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Mansfield
authors.forename: Brian D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Harfe
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nissen
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Obenauer
authors.forename: Jalagani
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Srineel
authors.forename: Aadel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chaudhuri
authors.forename: Raphael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Farzan-Kashani
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zuker
authors.forename: Amy E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Pasquinelli
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ruvkun
authors.forename: Phillip A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Sharp
authors.forename: Clifford J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Tabin
authors.forename: Michael T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: McManus
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D019521:Body Patterning / Q000235:genetics; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D005801:Genes, Homeobox; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D007763:Lac Operon; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
chemical_list: D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; C095822:Hoxb8 protein, mouse; D035683:MicroRNAs