Project description:To determine if the Drosophila MyoD homolog, nautilus, was activating any miRNA loci, similar to vertebrate MyoD, we compared the miRNA expression profiles between wild-type (w1118) and nautilus null embryos during the window of maximum nautilus expression (6-8hr AEL), using LNA arrays specifically designed to quantify miRNA levels in Drosophila (Exiqon). Expression levels for mir-309, mir-3, mir-286, mir-4, mir-5, and mir-6 from the 8-miR cluster, were significantly decreased in nautilus null embryos. It suggests that the intergenic 8-miR cluster, encoding eight miRNAs, is regulated by nautilus.
