title: Robust and specific inhibition of microRNAs in Caenorhabditis elegans.
abstract: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that regulate the expression of numerous target genes. Yet, while hundreds of miRNAs have been identified, little is known about their functions. In a recent report published in Silence, Zheng and colleagues demonstrate a technique for robust and specific knockdown of miRNA expression in Caenorhabditis elegans using modified antisense oligonucleotides, which could be utilized as a powerful tool for the study of regulation and function of miRNAs in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular, Cellular and Development Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
authors.forename: Samrat T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Kundu
authors.forename: Frank J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Slack
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000235:genetics*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D049751:Genome, Helminth / Q000187:drug effects; D008136:Longevity / Q000235:genetics; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000032:analysis / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense / Q000494:pharmacology; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering