[MicroRNAs: a new class of gene expression regulators].
MicroRNAs (miRs) are small non coding RNA, about 21-25 nucleotides in length, that direct post transcriptional regulation of gene expression through interaction with homologous mRNAs. Hundreds miR genes have been identified in animals and 40 in plants. Many of them are conserved between related species, and in some cases across phyla. Two mechanisms for regulation of gene expression by miRs have been reported. As described for lin-4 and let-7 miR of C.elegans, miRs can inhibit translation, which seems to represent the major mode of regulation in animals, or can direct cleavage of target mRNAs, which seems to represent the major mode of regulation in plants.
Hartmann
Caroline
C
Institut de Biotechnologie des Plantes, Bâtiment 630, Université Paris XI, 91405 Orsay, France. hartmann@ibp.u-psud.fr
Corre-Menguy
Fabienne
F
Boualem
Adnane
A
Jovanovic
Mariana
M
Lelandais-Brière
Christine
C
D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics*; D012323:RNA Processing, Post-Transcriptional / Q000235:genetics
D035683:MicroRNAs