Chapter 2 - Diversity and types of small RNA

Abstract

Over the last three decades, small RNAs became a central topic for biology in the search for a wider understanding of cellular regulation. A variety of plant small RNA molecules has been identified in parallel with diverse mechanisms from which they can originate. In time, the known modes of action of sRNA was expanded, now ranging from the initially reported post-transcriptional silencing model to less well-understood epigenetic mechanisms. Given the diversity in terms of function and biogenesis, sRNAs have been separated into several categories, including the well-known microRNA, but also other less popular classes of small interfering RNA (siRNA) such as the heterochromatic siRNA, the natural antisense siRNA, and the trans-acting siRNA.