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Autophagy modulates miRNA‐mediated gene silencing and selectively degrades AIN‐1/GW182 in C. elegans
Author(s) -
Zhang Peipei,
Zhang Hong
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
embo reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.584
H-Index - 184
eISSN - 1469-3178
pISSN - 1469-221X
DOI - 10.1038/embor.2013.53
Subject(s) - gene silencing , argonaute , biology , caenorhabditis elegans , microrna , microbiology and biotechnology , autophagy , genetics , rna interference , gene knockdown , lysosome , rna induced silencing complex , gene , rna , non coding rna , biochemistry , apoptosis , enzyme
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) post‐transcriptionally repress gene expression via the miRNA‐induced silencing complex (miRISC), which includes miRNA, Argonaute and a GW182 family member. Here we show that in Caenorhabditis elegans , miRNA‐mediated gene silencing is modulated by macroautophagy, a lysosome‐mediated degradation process. Loss of autophagy activity suppresses developmental defects caused by partially impaired silencing of miRNA targets including the let‐7 family and lsy‐6 . The C. elegans GW182 homolog AIN‐1 is itself selectively degraded by autophagy and colocalizes with the p62 homolog SQST‐1 in autophagy mutants. Thus, autophagy activity modulates miRNA‐mediated gene silencing and degrades a core miRISC component.