PRG-1 and 21U-RNAs Interact to Form the piRNA Complex Required for Fertility in C. elegans

jerry submitted, created time 5 months 3 weeks (www.molecule.org)

In metazoans, Piwi-related argonaute proteins have been linked to germline maintenance, and to a class of germline-enriched small RNAs termed piRNAs. Here we show that an abundant class of 21 nucleotide small RNAs (21U-RNAs) are expressed in the C. elegans germline, interact with the C. elegans Piwi family member PRG-1, and depend on PRG-1 activity for their accumulation. The PRG-1 protein is expressed throughout development and localizes to nuage-like structures called P granules

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Study shows big power of small RNAs, not just proteins, in halting cancer

cappuccion submitted, created time 1 year 7 months (www.eurekalert.org)

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) researchers led by Lin He, Xingyue He, and Professor and Howard Hughes Medical Investigator (HHMI) Greg Hannon have identified a family of micro RNAs (miRNAs) that enable a critical tumor suppressor network, called the p53 pathway, to fight cancer growth. It CSHL, we are moving simultaneously on several fronts to understand the p53 pathway because damage to this pathway is something that almost all cancers have in common, said CSHL Cancer Center Deputy Director and HHMI Scott Lowe.

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Dysregulation of Cardiogenesis, Cardiac Conduction, and Cell Cycle in Mice Lacking miRNA-1-2

medal submitted, created time 1 year 8 months (www.cell.com)

"MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are genomically encoded small RNAs used by organisms to regulate the expression of proteins generated from messenger RNA transcripts. The in vivo requirement of specific miRNAs in mammals through targeted deletion remains unknown, and reliable prediction of mRNA targets is still problematic. Here, we show that miRNA biogenesis in the mouse heart is essential for cardiogenesis

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