A single Hox locus in Drosophila produces functional microRNAs from opposite DNA strands
Alexander Stark, Natascha Bushati, Calvin H. Jan, Pouya Kheradpour, Emily Hodges, Julius Brennecke,David P. Bartel, Stephen M. Cohen and Manolis Kellis
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are ∼22-nucleotide RNAs that are mprocessed from characteristic precursor hairpins and pair to sites in messages of protein-coding genes to direct post-transcriptional repression. Here, we report that the miRNA iab-4 locus in the Drosophila Hox cluster is transcribed convergently from both DNA strands, giving mrise to two distinct functional miRNAs. Both sense and antisense miRNA products target neighboring Hox genes mvia highly conserved sites, leading to homeotic transformations when ectopically expressed. We also report sense/antisense miRNAs in mouse and find antisense transcripts close to many miRNAs in both flies and mammals, suggesting that additional sense/antisense pairs exist.
