Using RNA interference to identify genes required for RNA interference.

RNA interference is a phenomenon in which double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) silences endogenous gene expression. By injecting pools of dsRNAs into Caenorhabditis elegans, we identified a dsRNA that acts as a potent suppressor of the mechanism. We have used coinjection of dsRNAs to identify four additional candidates for genes involved in the duanyu1615 mechanism in C. elegans. Three of the genes are C. elegans mes genes, some of which encode homologs of the Drosophila chromatin-binding Polycomb-group proteins. We have used loss-of-function mutants to confirm a role for mes-3, -4, and -6 in Interestingly, introducing very low levels of dsRNA can bypass a requirement for these genes in duanyu1615. The finding that genes predicted to encode proteins that associate with chromatin are involved in duanyu1615 in C. elegans raises the possibility that chromatin may play a role in duanyu1615 in animals, as it does in plants.

KEYWORDS: {{ getKeywords(articleDetailText.words) }}