Partially Penetrant Postnatal Lethality of an Epithelial Specific MicroRNA in a Mouse Knockout

MicroRNAs are small noncoding RNAs thought to have pivotal roles in numerous diseases and developmental processes. However, a growing body of literature indicates that in vivo elimination of these tiny RNAs usually has little to no observable consequence, suggesting functional redundancy with other microRNAs or cellular pathways. We provide an in-depth analysis of miR-205 expression and define miR-205 as an epithelial-specific microRNA, and for the first time show that ablation of this microRNA knockout exhibits partially penetrant lethality in a constitutive mouse knockout model. Given the role of this microRNA in cancer and development, this mouse model will be an incredible reagent to study the function and mechanisms of miR-205 in epithelial tissue development and disease.