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Updated: Jul 8, 2025

CRISPR Gene Editing Tool for MicroRNA Cluster Network Analysis
Published on: April 25, 2022
A nonneural miRNA cluster mediates hearing via repression of two neural targets
Binglong Zhang1, Hong Duan1, Joshua Kavaler2
1Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, New York, New York 10065, USA.
Abstract:
We show here that mir-279/996 are absolutely essential for development and function of Johnston's organ (JO), the primary proprioceptive and auditory organ in Drosophila Their deletion results in highly aberrant cell fate determination, including loss of scolopale cells and ectopic neurons, and mutants are electrophysiologically deaf. In vivo activity sensors and mosaic analyses indicate that these seed-related miRNAs function autonomously to suppress neural fate in nonneuronal cells. Finally, genetic interactions pinpoint two neural targets (elav and insensible) that underlie miRNA mutant JO phenotypes. This work uncovers how critical post-transcriptional regulation of specific miRNA targets governs cell specification and function of the auditory system.
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