The intricate balance between microRNA-induced mRNA decay and translational repression

Parisa Naeli, Timothy Winter, Angela P Hackett, Lilas Alboushi, Seyed Mehdi Jafarnejad

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

61 Citations (Scopus)
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Abstract

Post-transcriptional regulation of messenger RNAs (mRNAs) (i.e., mechanisms that control translation, stability, and localisation) is a critical focal point in spatio-temporal regulation of gene expression in response to changes in environmental conditions. The human genome encodes ~2,000 microRNAs (miRNAs), each of which could control the expression of hundreds of protein-coding mRNAs by inducing translational repression and/or promoting mRNA decay. While mRNA degradation is a terminal event, translational repression is reversible and can be employed for rapid response to internal or external cues. Recent years have seen significant progress in our understanding of how miRNAs induce degradation or translational repression of the target mRNAs. Here, we review the recent findings that illustrate the cellular machinery that contributes to miRNA-induced silencing, with a focus on the factors that could influence translational repression vs. decay.

Original languageEnglish
JournalThe FEBS Journal
Early online date05 Mar 2022
DOIs
Publication statusEarly online date - 05 Mar 2022

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