It is also worth mentioning that multiple components of the InsR pathway, including age-1, pdk-1, akt-2, and daf-16, are predicted to be targets of the let-7 family miRNAs. Our data provide the experimental evidence that two components of the InsR pathway are likely direct targets of miR-71 in its role in a specific physiological process, L1 diapause (see a model in Fig. S5). Components of the InsR pathway, including age-1, have recently been predicted to be targets of miR-71 in its role in aging (14). These results compelled us to examine specific interactions between individual miRNAs and their targets to gain mechanistic insights. This result suggests that miR-71 likely functions upstream of, or in parallel to, HBL-1 in regulating VPC timing.
