The long hand of the small RNAs reaches into several levels of gene regulation.
Small RNA molecules such as siRNAs and miRNAs represent a new class of molecules that have been implicated in a wide range of diverse gene silencing phenomena. It is now becoming clear that these two similar molecules share several common features in both their biogenesis and their mechanism of action. Thus, the siRNA and miRNA pathways may have evolved from a common ancestral mechanism that has diverged to play important roles in developmental regulation, genomic organisation, and cellular defence against foreign nucleic acids.
Nolan
Tony
T
Dipartimento di Biotecnologie Cellulari ed Ematologia, Sezione di Genetica Molecolare, Università di Roma La Sapeinza, Italy.
Cogoni
Carlo
C
D000818:Animals; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005800:Genes, Fungal; D016678:Genome; D006570:Heterochromatin / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000502:physiology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D008957:Models, Genetic; D034622:RNA Interference; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000502:physiology*
D006570:Heterochromatin; D035683:MicroRNAs; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering