Investigating the Role Of RNA Helicase A in endogenous Small Interfering RNA Pathways in Caenorhabditis elegans

Date of Award

2012

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Natural Sciences

First Advisor

Walstrom, Katherine

Keywords

RNA Helicase, RNA Interference, c. elegans

Area of Concentration

Chemistry

Abstract

The role of RNA Helicase A (RHA) in the endogenous small interfering RNA interference (endo-siRNAi) pathway was investigated using the eri-1(mg366) background. Genes shown to be overexpressed in eri-1(mg366) worms and also to be regulated by specific classes of endo-siRNAs, particularly the 26G RNA, the 21U RNA, and the 22G RNA pathways, were tested in C. elegans mutant strains N2 Bristol, eri-1(mg366), rha-1(tm329) and rha-1;eri-1 (Das et al., 2008; Pavelec et al., 2009; Gent et al., 2009). The comparable phenotypes between eri-1(mg366) and rha-1(tm329) worms which exhibit temperature-sensitive sterile phenotypes suggest these genes may act along the same pathway (Kennedy et al., 2004; Walstrom et al., 2005). Expression levels between worms grown at 16 °C and 20 °C were quantitated by Real Time RT-PCR for each gene. Significant levels of overexpression for F18C5.4, C36H8.1, and F15D4.5 in eri-1(mg366), rha-1(tm329) and rha-1;eri-1 animals support a role for RHA in regulating 26G small RNAs, which are central to spermatogenesis and germline maintenance.

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