GSBS Student Publications
Title
A member of the polymerase beta nucleotidyltransferase superfamily is required for RNA interference in C. elegans
GSBS Program
Biochemistry & Molecular Pharmacology
Publication Date
2005-02-23
UMMS Affiliation
Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences; Program in Molecular Medicine
Document Type
Article
Disciplines
Life Sciences | Medicine and Health Sciences
Abstract
RNA interference (RNAi) is an ancient, highly conserved mechanism in which small RNA molecules (siRNAs) guide the sequence-specific silencing of gene expression . Several silencing machinery protein components have been identified, including helicases, RNase-related proteins, double- and single-stranded RNA binding proteins, and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase-related proteins . Work on these factors has led to the revelation that RNAi mechanisms intersect with cellular pathways required for development and fertility . Despite rapid progress in understanding key steps in the RNAi pathway, it is clear that many factors required for both RNAi and related developmental mechanisms have not yet been identified. Here, we report the characterization of the C. elegans gene rde-3. Genetic analysis of presumptive null alleles indicates that rde-3 is required for siRNA accumulation and for efficient RNAi in all tissues, and it is essential for fertility and viability at high temperatures. RDE-3 contains conserved domains found in the polymerase beta nucleotidyltransferase superfamily, which includes conventional poly(A) polymerases, 2'-5' oligoadenylate synthetase (OAS), and yeast Trf4p . These findings implicate a new enzymatic modality in RNAi and suggest possible models for the role of RDE-3 in the RNAi mechanism.
DOI of Published Version
10.1016/j.cub.2005.01.009
Source
Curr Biol. 2005 Feb 22;15(4):378-83. Link to article on publisher's site
Journal/Book/Conference Title
Current biology : CB
Related Resources
PubMed ID
15723801
Repository Citation
Chen CG, Simard MJ, Tabara H, Brownell DR, McCollough JA, Mello CC. (2005). A member of the polymerase beta nucleotidyltransferase superfamily is required for RNA interference in C. elegans. GSBS Student Publications. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2005.01.009. Retrieved from https://escholarship.umassmed.edu/gsbs_sp/200