An RNA-directed nuclease mediates post-transcriptional gene silencing in Drosophila cells

被引:2186
作者
Hammond, SM
Bernstein, E
Beach, D
Hannon, GJ
机构
[1] Cold Spring Harbor Lab, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724 USA
[2] Genet Inc, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724 USA
[3] SUNY Stony Brook, Grad Program Genet, Stony Brook, NY 11794 USA
[4] UCL, Wolfson Inst Biol Sci, London WC1E 6BT, England
关键词
D O I
10.1038/35005107
中图分类号
O [数理科学和化学]; P [天文学、地球科学]; Q [生物科学]; N [自然科学总论];
学科分类号
07 ; 0710 ; 09 ;
摘要
In a diverse group of organisms that includes Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila, planaria, hydra, trypanosomes, fungi and plants, the introduction of double-stranded RNAs inhibits gene expression in a sequence-specific manner(1-7). These responses, called RNA interference or post-transcriptional gene silencing, may provide anti-viral defence, modulate transposition or regulate gene expression(1,6,8-10). We have taken a biochemical approach towards elucidating the mechanisms underlying this genetic phenomenon. Here we show that 'loss-of-function' phenotypes can be created in cultured Drosophila cells by transfection with specific double-stranded RNAs. This coincides with a marked reduction in the level of cognate cellular messenger RNAs. Extracts of transfected cells contain a nuclease activity that specifically degrades exogenous transcripts homologous to transfected double-stranded RNA. This enzyme contains an essential RNA component. After partial purification, the sequence-specific nuclease co-fractionates with a discrete, similar to 25-nucleotide RNA species which may confer specificity to the enzyme through homology to the substrate mRNAs.
引用
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页码:293 / 296
页数:4
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