Work

RNA Interference Pathways in Fungi: Mechanisms and Functions

Year: 2012

Type: review

Abstract: RNA interference (RNAi) is a conserved eukaryotic gene regulatory mechanism that uses small noncoding RNAs to mediate posttranscriptional/transcriptional gene silencing. The fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe and the filamentous fungus Neurospora crassa have served as important model systems for RNAi research. Studies on these two organisms and other fungi have contributed significantly to our understanding of the mechanisms and functions of RNAi in eukaryotes. In addition, surprisingly diverse RNAi-mediated processes and small RNA biogenesis pathways have been discovered in fungi. In this review, we give an overview of different fungal RNAi pathways with a focus on their mechanisms and functions.

Source: Annual Review of Microbiology

DOI: 10.1146/annurev-micro-092611-150138

Authors: Shwu-Shin Chang, Zhenyu Zhang, Yi Liu

Institution: The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Language: English

Topic: Fungal and yeast genetics research

Subfield: Molecular Biology

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

Open Access status: green

Funders: Welch Foundation, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of General Medical Sciences

Awards: Molecular Mechanisms of the Neurospora Circadian CLock, Molecular mechanism of the Neurospora circadian clock