Project name: Caenorhabditis elegans

Description: The molecular mechanisms for target mRNA degradation in C. elegans undergoing RNA interference (RNAi) are not fully understood. Using a combination of genetic, proteomic and biochemical approaches, we report a divergent RDE-10/RDE-11 complex that is required for RNAi in C. elegans. The RDE-10/RDE-11 complex acts in parallel of nuclear RNAi. Association of the complex with target mRNA is dependent on RDE-1 but not RRF-1, suggesting that target mRNA recognition depends on primary but not secondary siRNA. Furthermore, RDE-11 is required for mRNA degradation subsequent to target engagement. Deep sequencing reveals a 5-fold decrease in secondary siRNA abundance in rde-10 and rde-11 mutant animals, while primary siRNA and micro-RNA biogenesis is normal. Therefore, the RDE-10/RDE-11 complex is critical for amplifying the exogenous RNAi response. Our work uncovers an essential output of the RNAi pathway in C. elegans.Overall design: 21-24nt small RNA were purifed from different C. elegans strain populations that underwent sel-1 RNAi

Data type: Transcriptome or Gene expression

Sample scope: Multiisolate

Relevance: ModelOrganism

Release date: 2012-04-26

Last updated: 2012-03-14