Is RNA-dependent RNA polymerase essential for transposon control?

ABSTRACT:

Background

Eukaryotes use RNA interference and RNA-based epigenetic regulation to control transposon activity. In the standard pathways of RNA-based transcriptional and post-transcriptional silencing the protein complex RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP) plays a crucial role. However, alternative pathways that bypass RdRP have recently been described. Hence two important questions are: is RdRP truly a necessary component for transposon control, and are the alternative RNA-based strategies also capable of controlling transposable elements?

Results

We have studied the interplay between host RNAi pathways and transposons using mathematical models. We show that the canonical RdRP-based model controls transposons tightly, mainly via the feedback of cytoplasmic small RNA amplific

SUBMITTER: Crombach A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3155503 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature