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
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
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Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
MeSH terms
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Amino Acid Sequence
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Animals
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Animals, Genetically Modified
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Caenorhabditis elegans / embryology
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Caenorhabditis elegans / genetics*
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Caenorhabditis elegans / metabolism
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Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / chemistry
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Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / genetics*
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Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / physiology*
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Calmodulin-Binding Proteins / genetics
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Cytoplasm / metabolism
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Embryo, Nonmammalian / physiology
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Gene Silencing*
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Genes, Helminth
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Germ Cells / metabolism
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Green Fluorescent Proteins
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Intestinal Mucosa / metabolism
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Luminescent Proteins / genetics
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Membrane Proteins / chemistry
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Membrane Proteins / genetics*
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Membrane Proteins / physiology*
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Molecular Sequence Data
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Mosaicism
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Muscle Proteins / genetics
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Muscles / metabolism
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Mutation
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Protein Structure, Tertiary
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RNA, Double-Stranded / genetics*
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RNA, Double-Stranded / metabolism
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RNA, Helminth / genetics*
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RNA, Helminth / metabolism
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Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism
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Transgenes
Substances
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Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins
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Calmodulin-Binding Proteins
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Luminescent Proteins
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Membrane Proteins
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Muscle Proteins
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RNA, Double-Stranded
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RNA, Helminth
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Recombinant Fusion Proteins
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SID-1 protein, C elegans
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unc-22 protein, C elegans
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Green Fluorescent Proteins