Two small temporally regulated RNAs (stRNAs)*
*
of ∼22 nucleotides regulate timing of gene expression during development of the nematode C. elegans. This regulation occurs at a posttranscriptional, presumably translational, level and is distinct from RNA interference (RNAi). One of the two stRNAs, let-7, as well as its target gene, lin-41, are highly conserved even in humans, suggesting a wide employment of stRNA-mediated gene regulation. Recent reports indicate that these two stRNAs are indeed likely to represent only the tip of an iceberg with hundreds or more of additional micro-RNAs (miRNAs) existing in metazoans. miRNAs might thus be previously underestimated key participants in the field of gene regulation. Abbreviations used in this paper: stRNA, small temporally regulated RNA; miRNA, micro-RNA; siRNA, small interfering RNA; RNAi, RNA interference.
The Rockefeller University Press
2002
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