Dicer Functions in RNA Interference and in Synthesis of Small RNA Involved in Developmental Timing in C. Elegans

Overview

Journal Genes Dev

Specialty Molecular Biology

Date 2001 Oct 20

PMID 11641272

Citations 759

Authors

R F Ketting

S E Fischer

E Bernstein

T Sijen

G J Hannon

R H Plasterk

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Double-stranded RNAs can suppress expression of homologous genes through an evolutionarily conserved process named RNA interference (RNAi) or post-transcriptional gene silencing (PTGS). One mechanism underlying silencing is degradation of target mRNAs by an RNP complex, which contains approximately 22 nt of siRNAs as guides to substrate selection. A bidentate nuclease called Dicer has been implicated as the protein responsible for siRNA production. Here we characterize the Caenorhabditis elegans ortholog of Dicer (K12H4.8; dcr-1) in vivo and in vitro. dcr-1 mutants show a defect in RNAi. Furthermore, a combination of phenotypic abnormalities and RNA analysis suggests a role for dcr-1 in a regulatory pathway comprised of small temporal RNA (let-7) and its target (e.g., lin-41).

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