title: Terminal loop-mediated regulation of miRNA biogenesis: selectivity and mechanisms.
abstract: Regulating the expression of individual miRNAs (microRNAs) is important for cell development and function. The up- or down-regulation of the processing of specific miRNA precursors to the mature active form represents one tool to control miRNA concentration and is mediated by proteins that recognize the terminal loop of the RNA precursors. Terminal loop recognition is achieved by the combined action of several RNA-binding domains. The proteins can then regulate the processing by recruiting RNA enzymes, changing the RNA structure and preventing or enhancing the accessibility and processing activity of the core processing complexes. The present review focuses on how terminal loop-binding proteins recognize their RNA targets and mediate their regulatory function(s), and highlights how terminal loop-mediated regulation relates to the broader regulation of mRNA metabolism.
authors.affiliation: Cell Biology Program, Sloan-Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA.
authors.forename: Virginia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Castilla-Llorente
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nicastro
authors.forename: Andres
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ramos
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D012322:RNA Precursors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs; D012322:RNA Precursors