High impact information on THEX1

• The Eri1 ribonuclease is a negative regulator of the RNA interference machinery; recent studies have shown that, in fission yeast lacking Eri1, heterochromatin formation is more promiscuous [1].
• Four tRNA-related SINE families were isolated from the genome of the shrew Sorex araneus (SOR element), mole Mogera robusta (TAL element), and hedgehog Mesechinus dauuricus (ERI-1 and ERI-2 elements) [2].
• There is a long polypyrimidine region (TC-motif) in TAL, ERI-1, and ERI-2 elements located immediately upstream of an A-rich tail with polyadenylation signals (AATAAA) and an RNA polymerase III terminator (T(4-6)) or TCT(3-4)) [2].
• Enzymes producing glucose by hydrolysis of saccharides (glucamylase, invertase, cellulase) as well as glucose consuming systems (hexo-kinase, glucose dehydrogenase) have been coupled to glucose oxidase [3].
• Synthesis of amino-substituted hexo- and heptopyranoses from D-galactose [4].

Biological context of THEX1

• Its Caenorhabditis elegans homologue, ERI-1, has been shown to degrade small interfering RNA in vitro and to function as a negative regulator of RNA interference in neuronal cells [5].

Anatomical context of THEX1

• In the nematode worm, ERI-1 is predominantly cytoplasmic and is expressed most highly in the gonad and a subset of neurons, suggesting that ERI-1 siRNase activity suppresses RNA interference more intensely in these tissues [6].

References