The C. elegans microRNA let-7 binds to imperfect let-7 complementary sites from the lin-41 3′UTR Article

Vella, MC, Choi, EY, Lin, SY et al. (2004). The C. elegans microRNA let-7 binds to imperfect let-7 complementary sites from the lin-41 3′UTR . 18(2), 132-137. 10.1101/gad.1165404

cited authors

  • Vella, MC; Choi, EY; Lin, SY; Reinert, K; Slack, FJ

authors

abstract

  • Caenorhabditis elegans let-7, a founding member of the microRNA family, is predicted to bind to six sites in the 3′UTR of the mRNA of its target gene, lin-41, to down-regulate LIN-41. Here, we demonstrate that wild-type let-7 microRNA binds in vitro to RNA from the lin-41 3′UTR. This interaction is dependent on two conserved let-7 complementary sites (LCSs). A 27-nucleotide sequence between the LCSs is also necessary for down-regulation in vivo. LCS mutations compensatory to the lesion in let-7(n2853) can partially restore lin-41 3′UTR function in a let-7(n2853) background, providing the first experimental evidence for an animal miRNA binding directly to its validated target in vivo.

publication date

  • January 15, 2004

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

start page

  • 132

end page

  • 137

volume

  • 18

issue

  • 2