@article {825001,
	title = {An endogenous small interfering RNA pathway in Drosophila.},
	journal = {Nature},
	volume = {453},
	number = {7196},
	year = {2008},
	month = {2008 Jun 5},
	pages = {798-802},
	abstract = {
	Drosophila endogenous small RNAs are categorized according to their mechanisms of biogenesis and the Argonaute protein to which they bind. MicroRNAs are a class of ubiquitously expressed RNAs of approximately 22 nucleotides in length, which arise from structured precursors through the action of Drosha-Pasha and Dicer-1-Loquacious complexes. These join Argonaute-1 to regulate gene expression. A second endogenous small RNA class, the Piwi-interacting RNAs, bind Piwi proteins and suppress transposons. Piwi-interacting RNAs are restricted to the gonad, and at least a subset of these arises by Piwi-catalysed cleavage of single-stranded RNAs. Here we show that Drosophila generates a third small RNA class, endogenous small interfering RNAs, in both gonadal and somatic tissues. Production of these RNAs requires Dicer-2, but a subset depends preferentially on Loquacious rather than the canonical Dicer-2 partner, R2D2 (ref. 14). Endogenous small interfering RNAs arise both from convergent transcription units and from structured genomic loci in a tissue-specific fashion. They predominantly join Argonaute-2 and have the capacity, as a class, to target both protein-coding genes and mobile elements. These observations expand the repertoire of small RNAs in Drosophila, adding a class that blurs distinctions based on known biogenesis mechanisms and functional roles.

},
	keywords = {Animals, Argonaute Proteins, Cell Line, Drosophila melanogaster, Drosophila Proteins, Protein Binding, Retroelements, Ribonuclease III, RNA Helicases, RNA Interference, RNA, Small Interfering, RNA-Binding Proteins, RNA-Induced Silencing Complex},
	issn = {1476-4687},
	doi = {10.1038/nature07007},
	author = {Czech, Benjamin and Malone, Colin D and Zhou, Rui and Stark, Alexander and Schlingeheyde, Catherine and Dus, Monica and Perrimon, Norbert and Kellis, Manolis and Wohlschlegel, James A and Sachidanandam, Ravi and Hannon, Gregory J and Brennecke, Julius}
}
