Editor's Summary

14 June 2007

Paths to gene silence

Two studies this week report on gene silencing by microRNAs (miRNAs), the small RNAs that regulate messenger RNA stability and translation. Chendrimada et al. show that the three-molecule complex RISC, which is known to generate miRNAs, interacts with the MOV10 complex that includes the ribosome anti-association factor eIF6. This points to a role for eIF6 as an evolutionarily conserved mediator of miRNA-directed gene silencing. Rolf Thermann and Matthias Hentze find that the Drosophila miRNA miR2 blocks protein formation by producing large miRNA complexes that strongly resemble ribosomes. mRNAs locked into the resulting pseudo-polysome are effectively put out of action.

Article: MicroRNA silencing through RISC recruitment of eIF6

Thimmaiah P. Chendrimada, Kenneth J. Finn, Xinjun Ji, David Baillat, Richard I. Gregory, Stephen A. Liebhaber, Amy E. Pasquinelli & Ramin Shiekhattar

doi:10.1038/nature05841

Abstract | Full Text | PDF (2,149K) | Supplementary information

Letter: Drosophila miR2 induces pseudo-polysomes and inhibits translation initiation

Rolf Thermann & Matthias W. Hentze

doi:10.1038/nature05878

First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (340K) | Supplementary information