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Small RNA Molecules

 


Major types of small RNA molecules:

  • Small nuclear RNA (snRNA) - involved in mRNA splicing.
  • Small nucleolar RNA (snoRNA) - directs the modification of ribosomal RNAs.
  • Micro RNA (miRNA) and short interfering RNA (siRNA) - regulate gene expression.

Both miRNA and siRNA are about 20-25 nucleotides long. They are functionally equivalent, but differ in biogenesis. miRNAs are produced from transcripts that form stem-loop structures. In contrast, siRNAs are produced from long double-stranded RNA precursors (reference). These RNAs have been widely used in functional genomics and also have therapeutic potential.

 

Review Articles:

Small RNAs just got bigger: Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) in mammalian testes - Genes and Develop., 2006.

Control of translation and mRNA degradation by miRNAs and siRNAs - Genes and Develop., 2006.

RNA meets chromatin - Genes and Develop., 2005.

MicroRNA function: Multiple mechanisms for a tiny RNA? - RNA, 2005

MicroRNA Biogenesis and Cancer - Cancer Research, 2005.

Exploring the functions of RNA interference pathway proteins: some functions are more RISCy than others? - Biochem. J., 2005.

RNA interference: from model organisms towards therapy for neural and neuromuscular disorders - Hum. Mole. Genet., 2004.

Optimizing RNA interference for application in mammalian cells - Biochem. J., 2004.

RNA interference - BMJ 2004.

RNA Interference in Biology and Medicine - Pharmaco. Rev., 2003.

RNA Interference: Biology, Mechanism, and Applications - Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews, 2003. 

The dsRNA binding protein family: critical roles, diverse cellular functions - FASEB J., 2003.

RNA-guided Nucleotide Modification of Ribosomal and Other RNAs - J. Biol. Chem., 2003.

Micro-RNAs : small is plentiful - J. Cell Biol., 2002.

Why do miRNAs live in the miRNP? - Genes and Development, 2002.

Small Nuclear RNA Genes: a Model System to Study Fundamental Mechanisms of Transcription - J. Biol. Chem., 2001.

RNA interference: 2001 - Genes and Development, 2001.