Developmental characterization of the microRNA-specific C. elegans Argonautes alg-1 and alg-2.

ABSTRACT: The genes alg-1 and alg-2 (referred to as "alg-1/2") encode the Argonaute proteins affiliated to the microRNA (miRNA) pathway in C. elegans. Bound to miRNAs they form the effector complex that effects post-transcriptional gene silencing. In order to define biological features important to understand the mode of action of these Argonautes, we characterize aspects of these genes during development. We establish that alg-1/2 display an overlapping spatio-temporal expression profile and shared association to a miRNAs set, but with gene-specific predominant expression in various cells and increased relative association to defined miRNAs. Congruent with their spatio-temporal coincidence and regardless of alg-1/2 drastic post-embryonic differences, only loss of both genes leads to embryonic letha

SUBMITTER: Vasquez-Rifo A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3309000 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature