Full-genome RNAi profiling of early embryogenesis in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Sönnichsen, B.; Koski, L. B.; Walsh, A.; Marschall, P.; Neumann, B.; Brehm, M.; Alleaume, A.-M.; Artelt, J.; Bettencourt, P.; Cassin, E.; Hewitson, M.; Holz, C.; Khan, M.; Lazik, S.; Martin, C.; Nitzsche, B.; Ruer, M.; Stamford, J.; Winzi, M.; Heinkel, R.

A key challenge of functional genomics today is to generate well-annotated data sets that can be interpreted across different platforms and technologies. Large-scale functional genomics data often fail to connect to standard experimental approaches of gene characterization in individual laboratories. Furthermore, a lack of universal annotation standards for phenotypic data sets makes it difficult to compare different screening approaches. Here we address this problem in a screen designed to identify all genes required for the first two rounds of cell division in the Caenorhabditis elegans embryo. We used RNA-mediated interference to target 98% of all genes predicted in the C. elegans genome in combination with differential interference contrast time-lapse microscopy. Through systematic annotation of the resulting movies, we developed a phenotypic profiling system, which shows high correlation with cellular processes and biochemical pathways, thus enabling us to predict new functions for previously uncharacterized genes.

CAENORHABDITIS elegans; RNA; GENOMES; GENETIC research; MOLECULAR genetics; CELL division; CELL proliferation; NUCLEIC acids

Nature, 2005, Vol 434, Issue 7032, p462

0028-0836

Academic Journal

10.1038/nature03353