A small RNA mechanism distinct from the RNAi and microRNA pathways silences selfish genetic elements in Drosophila.
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ABSTRACT: In flies, repeat-associated small interfering RNAs (rasiRNAs) ensure genomic stability by silencing endogenous selfish genetic elements such as retrotransposons and repetitive sequences. Here, we show that while small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) derive from both the sense and antisense strands of their double-stranded RNA precursors, rasiRNAs arise mainly from the antisense strand. rasiRNA production appear not to require Dicer-1, which makes microRNAs, or Dicer-2, which makes siRNAs, and rasiRNAs lack the 2´,3´ hydroxy termini characteristic of animal siRNA and miRNA. Unlike siRNAs and miRNAs, rasiRNAs function through the Piwi, rather than the Ago, Argonaute protein subfamily. Thus, rasiRNAs define a third RNA silencing pathway distinct from both the miRNA and RNAi pathways. Keywords: gene silencing; post-transcriptional gene regulation; short RNAs; RNAi; rasiRNAs; rasiRNA; microRNAs; microRNA; siRNAs; siRNA
ORGANISM(S): Drosophila melanogaster
PROVIDER: GSE4932 | GEO | 2006/06/30
SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA95883
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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