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Updated: Sep 20, 2026

RNAi Interference by dsRNA Injection into Drosophila Embryos
Published on: April 11, 2011
Two isoforms of the Drosophila RNA binding protein, how, act in opposing directions to regulate tendon cell
H Nabel-Rosen1, G Volohonsky, A Reuveny
1Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, 76100, Rehovot, Israel.
Abstract:
Differential RNA metabolism regulates a wide array of developmental processes. Here, we describe a mechanism that controls the transition from premature Drosophila tendon precursors into mature muscle-bound tendon cells. This mechanism is based on the opposing activities of two isoforms of the RNA binding protein How. While the isoform How(L) is a negative regulator of Stripe, the key modulator of tendon cell differentiation, How(S) isoform elevates Stripe levels, thereby releasing the differentiation arrest induced by How(L). The opposing activities of the How isoforms are manifested by differential rates of mRNA degradation of the target stripe mRNA. This mechanism is conserved, as the mammalian RNA binding Quaking proteins may similarly affect the levels of Krox20, a regulator of Schwann cell maturation.
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