Enhanced neuronal RNAi in C. elegans using SID-1.
We expressed SID-1, a transmembrane protein from Caenorhabditis elegans that is required for systemic RNA interference (RNAi), in C. elegans neurons. This expression increased the response of neurons to double-stranded (ds)RNA delivered by feeding. Mutations in the lin-15b and lin-35 genes enhanced this effect. Worms expressing neuronal SID-1 showed RNAi phenotypes when fed with bacteria expressing dsRNA for known neuronal genes and for uncharacterized genes with no previously known neuronal phenotypes. Neuronal expression of sid-1 decreased nonneuronal RNAi, suggesting that neurons expressing transgenic sid-1(+) served as a sink for dsRNA. This effect, or a sid-1(-) background, can be used to uncover neuronal defects for lethal genes. Expression of sid-1(+) from cell-specific promoters in sid-1 mutants results in cell-specific feeding RNAi. We used these strains to identify a role for integrin signaling genes in mechanosensation.
Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA.
Andrea
A
Calixto
Dattananda
D
Chelur
Irini
I
Topalidou
Xiaoyin
X
Chen
Martin
M
Chalfie
D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000378:metabolism*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D005804:Genes, Lethal; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D034622:RNA Interference / Q000502:physiology*; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D012097:Repressor Proteins; C452203:SID-1 protein, C elegans; D014157:Transcription Factors; C088819:lin-15B protein, C elegans; C116485:lin-35 protein, C elegans