HelF, a putative RNA helicase acts as a nuclear suppressor of RNAi but not antisense mediated gene silencing.

ABSTRACT: We have identified a putative RNA helicase from Dictyostelium that is closely related to drh-1, the 'dicer-related-helicase' from Caenorhabditis elegans and that also has significant similarity to proteins from vertebrates and plants. Green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged HelF protein was localized in speckles in the nucleus. Disruption of the helF gene resulted in a mutant morphology in late development. When transformed with RNAi constructs, HelF- cells displayed enhanced RNA interference on four tested genes. One gene that could not be knocked-down in the wild-type background was efficiently silenced in the mutant. Furthermore, the efficiency of silencing in the wild-type was dramatically improved when helF was disrupted in a secondary transformation. Silencing efficiency depended on t

SUBMITTER: Popova B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1360742 | biostudies-literature | 2006

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature