Research / Clinical
Summary
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Diseases/Research Topics
Gene Regulation, Regulatory RNA
Efficient genetics and a rapid lifecycle make the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans an ideal organism for studying development. In fact, it was through genetic studies in this simple worm that an unanticipated class of regulatory genes was first discovered. These genes encode tiny regulatory RNAs – just ~22 nucleotides long, and thus generally called microRNAs (miRNAs) – that control the expression of target genes.
One of the founding members of this RNA gene family, let-7, is essential for directing terminal differentiation of certain worm cells during the transition to adulthood. It does so by targeting a protein coding gene, lin-41, for down-regulated expression by a yet-to-be-discovered mechanism. Apparent homologs of the tiny let-7 RNA and its target lin-41 are present in most animals, including humans. Moreover, the temporally regulated expression pattern of the let-7 RNA is also conserved, indicating that it could play a common role in controlling cellular differentiation.
We hope that by studying how the let-7 RNA regulates development and differentiation in C. elegans, we will contribute to the understanding of how this conserved gene functions in humans, and broaden the scope of the types of genes that are assayed for roles in cancer biology.
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