1. MicroRNA function in Drosophila melanogaster.
- Author
-
Carthew RW, Agbu P, and Giri R
- Subjects
- Animals, Cell Differentiation, Central Nervous System cytology, Central Nervous System growth & development, Drosophila Proteins metabolism, Drosophila melanogaster growth & development, Drosophila melanogaster metabolism, Ecdysone genetics, Ecdysone metabolism, Female, Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental, Gene Regulatory Networks, Germ Cells cytology, Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins metabolism, Male, MicroRNAs metabolism, Morphogenesis genetics, Neurons cytology, Protein Isoforms genetics, Protein Isoforms metabolism, Signal Transduction, Synapses genetics, Synapses metabolism, Central Nervous System metabolism, Drosophila Proteins genetics, Drosophila melanogaster genetics, Germ Cells metabolism, Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins genetics, MicroRNAs genetics, Neurons metabolism
- Abstract
Over the last decade, microRNAs have emerged as critical regulators in the expression and function of animal genomes. This review article discusses the relationship between microRNA-mediated regulation and the biology of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. We focus on the roles that microRNAs play in tissue growth, germ cell development, hormone action, and the development and activity of the central nervous system. We also discuss the ways in which microRNAs affect robustness. Many gene regulatory networks are robust; they are relatively insensitive to the precise values of reaction constants and concentrations of molecules acting within the networks. MicroRNAs involved in robustness appear to be nonessential under uniform conditions used in conventional laboratory experiments. However, the robust functions of microRNAs can be revealed when environmental or genetic variation otherwise has an impact on developmental outcomes., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2017
- Full Text
- View/download PDF