MicroRNA biogenesis is required for mouse primordial germ cell development and spermatogenesis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are critical regulators of transcriptional and post-transcriptional gene silencing, which are involved in multiple developmental processes in many organisms. Apart from miRNAs, mouse germ cells express another type of small RNA, piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs). Although it has been clear that piRNAs play a role in repression of retrotransposons during spermatogenesis, the function of miRNA in mouse germ cells has been unclear.

Methodology/principal findings

In this study, we first revealed the expression pattern of miRNAs by using a real-time PCR-based 220-plex miRNA expression profiling method. During development of germ cells, miR-17-92 cluster, which is thought to promote cell cycling, and the ES cell-specific cluster encoding miR-290 to -295

SUBMITTER: Hayashi K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2254191 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature