Systemic RNAi mediated gene silencing in the anhydrobiotic nematode Panagrolaimus superbus.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Gene silencing by RNA interference (RNAi) is a powerful tool for functional genomics. Although RNAi was first described in Caenorhabditis elegans, several nematode species are unable to mount an RNAi response when exposed to exogenous double stranded RNA (dsRNA). These include the satellite model organisms Pristionchus pacificus and Oscheius tipulae. Available data also suggest that the RNAi pathway targeting exogenous dsRNA may not be fully functional in some animal parasitic nematodes. The genus Panagrolaimus contains bacterial feeding nematodes which occupy a diversity of niches ranging from polar, temperate and semi-arid soils to terrestrial mosses. Thus many Panagrolaimus species are adapted to tolerate freezing and desiccation and are excellent systems to study the

SUBMITTER: Shannon AJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2453295 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature