The let-7 MicroRNA Family Members mir-48, mir-84, and mir-241 Function Together to Regulate Developmental Timing in Caenorhabditis elegans

Authors

Allison L. Abbott, Marquette UniversityFollow
Ezequiel Alvarez-Saavedra, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Eric A. Miska, Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyFollow
Nelson C. Lau, Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research and Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyFollow
David P. Bartel, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
H. Robert Horvitz, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Victor R. Ambros, Dartmouth Medical School

Document Type

Article

Language

eng

Format of Original

12 p.

Publication Date

9-2005

Publisher

Elsevier

Source Publication

Developmental Cell

Source ISSN

1534-5807

Abstract

The microRNA let-7 is a critical regulator of developmental timing events at the larval-to-adult transition in C. elegans. Recently, microRNAs with sequence similarity to let-7 have been identified. We find that doubly mutant animals lacking the let-7 family microRNA genes mir-48 and mir-84 exhibit retarded molting behavior and retarded adult gene expression in the hypodermis. Triply mutant animals lacking mir-48, mir-84, and mir-241 exhibit repetition of L2-stage events in addition to retarded adult-stage events. mir-48, mir-84, and mir-241 function together to control the L2-to-L3 transition, likely by base pairing to complementary sites in the hbl-1 3′ UTR and downregulating hbl-1 activity. Genetic analysis indicates that mir-48, mir-84, and mir-241 specify the timing of the L2-to-L3 transition in parallel to the heterochronic genes lin-28 and lin-46. These results indicate that let-7 family microRNAs function in combination to affect both early and late developmental timing decisions.

Comments

Accepted version. Developmental Cell, Vol. 9, No. 3 (September 2005): 403-414. DOI. © 2005 Cell Press. Used with permission.

Recommended Citation

Abbott, Allison L.; Alvarez-Saavedra, Ezequiel; Miska, Eric A.; Lau, Nelson C.; Bartel, David P.; Horvitz, H. Robert; and Ambros, Victor R., "The let-7 MicroRNA Family Members mir-48, mir-84, and mir-241 Function Together to Regulate Developmental Timing in Caenorhabditis elegans" (2005). Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications. 110.
https://epublications.marquette.edu/bio_fac/110