The let-7 family of microRNAs.
The first two known microRNAs (miRNAs), lin-4 and let-7, were originally discovered in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and control the timing of stem-cell division and differentiation. let-7 was subsequently found as the first known human miRNA. let-7 and its family members are highly conserved across species in sequence and function, and misregulation of let-7 leads to a less differentiated cellular state and the development of cell-based diseases such as cancer. Although much research has been devoted to let-7 target prediction and to understanding its biological role, research into what regulates let-7 has only just begun. Here, we review let-7-family conservation and the recent advances in understanding how let-7-expression is regulated at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels across species. A greater understanding of what controls let-7 expression might enable the development of treatments to fight or prevent many cancers.
Roush
Sarah
S
Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
Slack
Frank J
FJ
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data
D035683:MicroRNAs; C474488:let-7 microRNA, C elegans; C487931:mirnlet7 microRNA, human