title: MicroRNA modulation of RNA-binding protein regulatory elements.
abstract: We propose that microRNAs could modulate RNA-binding protein binding sites in a dynamic manner. We suggest that the cis-regulatory code targeted by microRNAs is, at least in part, the same as that read by mRNA-binding proteins. Our hypothesis predicts that microRNAs indirectly or directly bind to RNA-binding protein binding sites. Alternatively, the microRNA-mRNA interactions can themselves be the target of an mRNA-binding protein. Lastly, we envision examples where multiple mRNA regulatory elements are simultaneously influenced by microRNA-mRNA interactions such that the binding of one or more microRNA results in conformational changes in the structure of the mRNA, thereby, either revealing or masking a second regulatory element.
authors.affiliation: University at Albany-SUNY, Gen*NY*Sis Center for Excellence in Cancer Genomics, Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Public Health, Rensselaer, New York 12144, USA.
authors.forename: Ajish D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: George
authors.forename: Scott A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Tenenbaum
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs; D008954:Models, Biological; D008957:Models, Genetic; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000737:chemistry*; D022661:RNA, Untranslated / Q000737:chemistry; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D022661:RNA, Untranslated; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins