RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 An Extensive Class of Small RNAs in <em>Caenorhabditis elegans</em>
JF Science
JO Science
FD American Association for the Advancement of Science
SP 862
OP 864
DO 10.1126/science.1065329
VO 294
IS 5543
A1 Lee, Rosalind C.
A1 Ambros, Victor
YR 2001
UL http://science.sciencemag.org/content/294/5543/862.abstract
AB The lin-4 and let-7 antisense RNAs are temporal regulators that control the timing of developmental events inCaenorhabditis elegans by inhibiting translation of target mRNAs. let-7 RNA is conserved among bilaterian animals, suggesting that this class of small RNAs [microRNAs (miRNAs)] is evolutionarily ancient. Using bioinformatics and cDNA cloning, we found 15 new miRNA genes in C. elegans. Several of these genes express small transcripts that vary in abundance during C. elegans larval development, and three of them have apparent homologs in mammals and/or insects. Small noncoding RNAs of the miRNA class appear to be numerous and diverse.