RNA Silencing in Aspergillus nidulans Is Independent of RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerases

The versatility of RNA-dependent RNA polymerases (RDRPs) in eukaryotic gene silencing is perhaps best illustrated in the kingdom Fungi. Biochemical and genetic studies of Schizosaccharomyces pombe and Neurospora crassa show that these types of enzymes are involved in a number of fundamental gene-sil...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Genetics (Austin) 2005-02, Vol.169 (2), p.607-617
Main Authors: Hammond, T. M, Keller, N. P
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aspergillus nidulans
Aspergillus nidulans - enzymology
Aspergillus nidulans - genetics
Chlamydomonas
Enzymes
Fungi
Gene Deletion
Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal
Gene Silencing
Genes, Fungal
Genetics
Investigations
Models, Genetic
Neurospora crassa
Proteins
Ribonucleic acid
RNA
RNA, Fungal - genetics
RNA, Fungal - metabolism
RNA, Messenger - metabolism
RNA, Small Interfering - metabolism
RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase - genetics
RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase - metabolism
Schizosaccharomyces pombe
Transformation, Genetic
Transgenes
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Summary:The versatility of RNA-dependent RNA polymerases (RDRPs) in eukaryotic gene silencing is perhaps best illustrated in the kingdom Fungi. Biochemical and genetic studies of Schizosaccharomyces pombe and Neurospora crassa show that these types of enzymes are involved in a number of fundamental gene-silencing processes, including heterochromatin regulation and RNA silencing in S. pombe and meiotic silencing and RNA silencing in N. crassa. Here we show that Aspergillus nidulans, another model fungus, does not require an RDRP for inverted repeat transgene (IRT)-induced RNA silencing. However, RDRP requirements may vary within the Aspergillus genus as genomic analysis indicates that A. nidulans, but not A. fumigatus or A. oryzae, has lost a QDE-1 ortholog, an RDRP associated with RNA silencing in N. crassa. We also provide evidence suggesting that 5' --> 3' transitive RNA silencing is not a significant aspect of A. nidulans IRT-RNA silencing. These results indicate a lack of conserved kingdom-wide requirements for RDRPs in fungal RNA silencing.
ISSN:0016-6731
1943-2631
1943-2631
DOI:10.1534/genetics.104.035964