SMEDWI-2 Is a PIWI-Like Protein That Regulates Planarian Stem Cells
Top Cited Papers
- 25 November 2005
- journal article
- other
- Published by American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in Science
- Vol. 310 (5752), 1327-1330
- https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1116110
Abstract
We have identified two genes, smedwi-1 and smedwi-2, expressed in the dividing adult stem cells (neoblasts) of the planarian Schmidtea mediterranea. Both genes encode proteins that belong to the Argonaute/PIWI protein family and that share highest homology with those proteins defined by Drosophila PIWI. RNA interference (RNAi) of smedwi-2 blocks regeneration, even though neoblasts are present, irradiation-sensitive, and capable of proliferating in response to wounding; smedwi-2(RNAi) neoblast progeny migrate to sites of cell turnover but, unlike normal cells, fail at replacing aged tissue. We suggest that SMEDWI-2 functions within dividing neoblasts to support the generation of cells that promote regeneration and homeostasis.Keywords
This publication has 18 references indexed in Scilit:
- Identification of Genes Needed for Regeneration, Stem Cell Function, and Tissue Homeostasis by Systematic Gene Perturbation in PlanariaDevelopmental Cell, 2005
- Biochemical identification of Argonaute 2 as the sole protein required for RNA-induced silencing complex activityProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2004
- A single Argonaute protein mediates both transcriptional and posttranscriptional silencing in Schizosaccharomyces pombeGenes & Development, 2004
- Argonaute2 Is the Catalytic Engine of Mammalian RNAiScience, 2004
- Tethering of human Ago proteins to mRNA mimics the miRNA-mediated repression of protein synthesisRNA, 2004
- Distinct roles for Argonaute proteins in small RNA-directed RNA cleavage pathwaysGenes & Development, 2004
- Human Argonaute2 Mediates RNA Cleavage Targeted by miRNAs and siRNAsMolecular Cell, 2004
- Mili, a mammalian member ofpiwifamily gene, is essential for spermatogenesisDevelopment, 2004
- The Schmidtea mediterranea database as a molecular resource for studying platyhelminthes, stem cells and regenerationDevelopment, 2002
- Cultivation and Characterization of Planarian Neuronal Cells Isolated by Fluorescence Activated Cell Sorting (FACS)Zoological Science, 2002