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Inhibition of the microRNA Pathway in Zebrafish by siRNA

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RNA Therapeutics

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 629))

Abstract

The microRNA (miRNA) pathway and the phenomenon of RNA interference (RNAi), which have both been shown to involve targeting of mRNAs by small RNA molecules, are interconnected and depend partly on the same cellular machinery. RNAi in vertebrates was first reported in zebrafish (Danio rerio) 10 years ago. However, reliable RNAi-based gene silencing techniques, based on injection of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) into zygotes, have not been established for this important vertebrate model because of unspecific developmental defects. We have recently shown that these side effects can be attributed to inhibition of the miRNA pathway by siRNAs at early embryonic stages. This review highlights these findings and the function of microRNAs in zebrafish development.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Research Council of Norway project 174979/I30, and the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at the University of Bergen.

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  1. Department of Molecular Biology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway

    Anders Fjose & Xiao-Feng Zhao

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  1. Anders Fjose
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  2. Xiao-Feng Zhao
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  1. Institute for Cancer Research, Dept. Immunology, Norwegian Radium Hospital, Montebello, Oslo, 0310, Norway

    Mouldy Sioud

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Fjose, A., Zhao, XF. (2010). Inhibition of the microRNA Pathway in Zebrafish by siRNA. In: Sioud, M. (eds) RNA Therapeutics. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 629. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-60761-657-3_15

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-60761-657-3_15

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