The search for endogenous siRNAs in the mammalian brain.

ABSTRACT: A decade ago, RNA interference was proposed to serve as a physiologic means of regulating long-term gene expression in the mammalian brain. However, during the intervening years, this hypothesis appeared to be contradicted by both experimental data and theoretical considerations. More recently, the advent of deep sequencing technology has permitted a re-assessment of this issue. As reviewed here, a large population of small RNAs having features characteristic of endogenous siRNAs are detected within adult mouse hippocampus, which derive from genes involved in synaptic structure and signaling, and which show a significant, though modest (16-22%) up-regulation during olfactory discrimination training. Small RNAs derived from abundant cellular noncoding RNAs are also detected; in particular,

SUBMITTER: Smalheiser NR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3291744 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature