title: MicroRNAs: biogenesis and molecular functions.
abstract: Small regulatory RNAs are essential and ubiquitous riboregulators that are the key mediators of RNA interference (RNAi). They include microRNAs (miRNAs) and short-interfering RNAs (siRNAs), classes of approximately 22 nucleotide RNAs. miRNAs and siRNAs bind to Argonaute proteins and form effector complexes that regulate gene expression; in animals, this regulation occurs primarily at the post-transcriptional level. In this review, we will discuss our current understanding of how miRNA and siRNAs are generated and how they function to silence gene expression, focusing on animal and, in particular, mammalian miRNAs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Xuhang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Kristine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fortin
authors.forename: Zissimos
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Mourelatos
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D060565:Argonaute Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D039642:Eukaryotic Initiation Factors; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics*; D023421:Models, Animal; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D034622:RNA Interference / Q000502:physiology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: C489654:AGO1 protein, Drosophila; D060565:Argonaute Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D039642:Eukaryotic Initiation Factors; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D035683:MicroRNAs; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering