MicroRNAs in Drosophila: the magic wand to enter the Chamber of Secrets?
MicroRNAs are small non-coding RNAs that are now recognised as key regulators of gene expression in eukaryotes. Over the past few years, hundreds of miRNAs have been identified from various organisms including vertebrates, nematodes, insects and plants. A high level of conservation of some miRNAs from animals to plants underlines their crucial role in eukaryotes. Although biogenesis and mode of action of miRNAs are now quite well understood, their numerous and specific regulatory functions remain to be unravelled. In this review, we summarise the current knowledge on miRNAs in insects, which was mainly acquired through the study of the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster.
Jaubert
Stéphanie
S
INRA, Agrocampus Rennes, UMR 1099 BiO3P (Biology of Organisms and Populations applied to Plant Protection), BP 35327, F-35653 Le Rheu, France. stephanie.jaubert@rennes.inra.fr
Mereau
Agnès
A
Antoniewski
Christophe
C
Tagu
Denis
D
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology; D004330:Drosophila / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D020868:Gene Silencing; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000502:physiology; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D008954:Models, Biological
D035683:MicroRNAs