Target-directed microRNA degradation in Drosophila

Target-directed microRNA (miRNA) degradation (TDMD) is the process by which binding of a miRNA to its cognate RNA triggers degradation of the miRNA, rather than the RNA as typically occurs. Until now, only four established examples of endogenous TDMD, all involving mammalian transcripts, were known. Now, Kingston et al. report a further six transcripts —five mRNAs and the long non-coding RNA Marge — that trigger TDMD of one or more miRNAs in Drosophila melanogaster embryos. TDMD was essential for embryonic development: mutations that disrupt TDMD de-repressed members of the miR-3 and miR-310 families and caused embryonic lethality; and genetic perturbation of marge affected miR-310 family members and cuticle development. The authors posit that more triggers and roles for TDMD remain to be discovered.

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