Essential Role for endogenous siRNAs during meiosis in mouse oocytes.

ABSTRACT: The RNase III enzyme DICER generates both microRNAs (miRNAs) and endogenous short interfering RNAs (endo-siRNAs). Both small RNA species silence gene expression post-transcriptionally in association with the ARGONAUTE (AGO) family of proteins. In mammals, there are four AGO proteins (AGO1-4), of which only AGO2 possesses endonucleolytic activity. siRNAs trigger endonucleolytic cleavage of target mRNAs, mediated by AGO2, whereas miRNAs cause translational repression and mRNA decay through association with any of the four AGO proteins. Dicer deletion in mouse oocytes leads to female infertility due to defects during meiosis I. Because mouse oocytes express both miRNAs and endo-siRNAs, this phenotype could be due to the absence of either class of small RNA, or both. However, we and others dem

SUBMITTER: Stein P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4335007 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature