Systemic RNAi in C. elegans requires the putative transmembrane protein SID-1

Science. 2002 Mar 29;295(5564):2456-9. doi: 10.1126/science.1068836. Epub 2002 Feb 7.

Abstract

Double-stranded RNA-mediated gene interference (RNAi) in Caenorhabditis elegans systemically inhibits gene expression throughout the organism. To investigate how gene-specific silencing information is transmitted between cells, we constructed a strain that permits visualization of systemic RNAi. We used this strain to identify systemic RNA interference-deficient (sid) loci required to spread gene-silencing information between tissues but not to initiate or maintain an RNAi response. One of these loci, sid-1, encodes a conserved protein with predicted transmembrane domains. SID-1 is expressed in cells sensitive to RNAi, is localized to the cell periphery, and is required cell-autonomously for systemic RNAi.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Animals, Genetically Modified
  • Caenorhabditis elegans / embryology
  • Caenorhabditis elegans / genetics*
  • Caenorhabditis elegans / metabolism
  • Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / chemistry
  • Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / genetics*
  • Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / physiology*
  • Calmodulin-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • Cytoplasm / metabolism
  • Embryo, Nonmammalian / physiology
  • Gene Silencing*
  • Genes, Helminth
  • Germ Cells / metabolism
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins
  • Intestinal Mucosa / metabolism
  • Luminescent Proteins / genetics
  • Membrane Proteins / chemistry
  • Membrane Proteins / genetics*
  • Membrane Proteins / physiology*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Mosaicism
  • Muscle Proteins / genetics
  • Muscles / metabolism
  • Mutation
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • RNA, Double-Stranded / genetics*
  • RNA, Double-Stranded / metabolism
  • RNA, Helminth / genetics*
  • RNA, Helminth / metabolism
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism
  • Transgenes

Substances

  • Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins
  • Calmodulin-Binding Proteins
  • Luminescent Proteins
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Muscle Proteins
  • RNA, Double-Stranded
  • RNA, Helminth
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • SID-1 protein, C elegans
  • unc-22 protein, C elegans
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins

Associated data

  • GENBANK/AF478687