Inhibiting miRNA in Caenorhabditis elegans using a potent and selective antisense reagent
UMass Chan Affiliations
Program in Molecular MedicineDocument Type
Journal ArticlePublication Date
2010-04-03Keywords
Caenorhabditis elegansCaenorhabditis elegans Proteins
MicroRNAs
RNA, Antisense
Genetics
Molecular Biology
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
BACKGROUND: Antisense reagents can serve as efficient and versatile tools for studying gene function by inhibiting nucleic acids in vivo. Antisense reagents have particular utility for the experimental manipulation of the activity of microRNAs (miRNAs), which are involved in the regulation of diverse developmental and physiological pathways in animals. Even in traditional genetic systems, such as the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, antisense reagents can provide experimental strategies complementary to mutational approaches. Presently no antisense reagents are available for inhibiting miRNAs in the nematode C. elegans. RESULTS: We have developed a new class of fluorescently labelled antisense reagents to inhibit miRNAs in developing worms. These reagents were synthesized by conjugating dextran with 2'-O-methyl oligoribonucleotide. The dextran-conjugated antisense reagents can be conveniently introduced into the germline of adult hermaphrodites and are transmitted to their progeny, where they efficiently and specifically inhibit a targeted miRNA in different tissues, including the hypodermis, the vulva and the nervous system. We show that these reagents can be used combinatorially to inhibit more than one miRNA in the same animal. CONCLUSION: This class of antisense reagents represents a new addition to the toolkit for studying miRNA in C. elegans. Combined with numerous mutants or reporter stains available, these reagents should provide a convenient approach to examine genetic interactions that involve miRNA, and may facilitate studying functions of miRNAs, especially ones whose deletion strains are difficult to generate.See related research article: http://jbiol.com/content/9/3/20.Source
Silence. 2010 Apr 1;1(1):9. Link to article on publisher's siteDOI
10.1186/1758-907X-1-9Permanent Link to this Item
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14038/44370PubMed ID
20359322Related Resources
Link to Article in PubMedae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
10.1186/1758-907X-1-9