Versatile microRNA biogenesis in animals and their viruses.
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are ubiquitous gene regulators that modulate essential cellular processes at the post-transcriptional level. In metazoans and their viruses, most miRNAs are produced from hairpin-containing primary transcripts that are sequentially cleaved by nuclear Drosha and cytoplasmic Dicer. In the last decade, alternative mechanisms that bypass either the Drosha or Dicer cleavage step have emerged, increasing the complexity of the miRNA regulatory network. Here, we highlight non-canonical pathways that generate miRNAs using a variety of molecular machineries that play fundamental roles in the biogenesis and processing of other classes of cellular RNAs.
Howard Hughes Medical Institute; Yale University; Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry; New Haven, CT USA.
Mingyi
M
Xie
Howard Hughes Medical Institute; Yale University; Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry; New Haven, CT USA.
Joan A
JA
Steitz
D000818:Animals; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D012315:RNA Caps; D012322:RNA Precursors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012323:RNA Processing, Post-Transcriptional; D043244:Ribonuclease III / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014780:Viruses / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
D035683:MicroRNAs; D012315:RNA Caps; D012322:RNA Precursors; D043244:Ribonuclease III
AGO2 slicer activity; Dicer; Integrator; Microprocessor; exportin-5; m7G-capped pre-miRNA; microRNA biogenesis; mirtron; tRNaseZ; viral microRNA