title: Selective sensitivity of Caenorhabditis elegans neurons to RNA interference.
abstract: RNA interference is a new approach to knockdown gene expression, but effectiveness varies depending on the organism, cell type or target sequence. Studies with Caenorhabditis elegans have shown that subsets of cells including neurons are often resistant to RNA interference. We measured RNA interference using green fluorescent protein reporter strains and feeding, soaking and injection delivery methods in a number of Caenorhabditis elegans neuron subtypes (dopaminergic, GABAergic, cholinergic, glutamatergic, touch). The sensitivity to RNA interference varied: GABAergic and dopaminergic neurons showed greater resistance while cholinergic, glutamatergic and touch neurons were more sensitive. Dysfunctional RRF-3, a putative RNA-directed RNA polymerase, had a significant effect on increasing neuron sensitivity in most subtypes. These results demonstrate that Caenorhabditis elegans neurons vary in their sensitivity to RNA interference.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Kuopio, Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: Suvi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Asikainen
authors.forename: Suvi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vartiainen
authors.forename: Merja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lakso
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nass
authors.forename: Garry
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wong
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000502:physiology*; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression; D005821:Genetic Techniques; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D034622:RNA Interference; D018510:RNA, Helminth / Q000235:genetics*; D012324:RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase / Q000378:metabolism*; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018510:RNA, Helminth; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D012324:RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase; D000109:Acetylcholine; D004298:Dopamine