MiRNAs and viroids utilize common strategies in genetic signal transfer

James M Hill,Walter J Lukiw,Yuhai Zhao,Surjyadipta Bhattacharjee

doi:10.3389/fnmol.2014.00010

James M Hill, Walter J Lukiw + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.3389/fnmol.2014.00010

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Abstract

OPINION article Front. Mol. Neurosci., 10 February 2014Sec. Molecular Signalling and Pathways Volume 7 - 2014 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fnmol.2014.00010

Highlights

We summarize here that from evolutionary, structural, and mechanistic perspectives, at least 18 interdependent lines of evidence currently support the idea that Micro RNAs (miRNAs) and viroids have common and distinguishing genetic features, and share overlapping regulatory and pathogenic mechanisms with intrinsic potential to promote systemic disease
Much of viroid biology appears to be reiterated in the genetic mechanism of miRNA actions throughout the plant and animal kingdoms
These commonalities are based in the intrinsic molecular-genetic mechanism of miRNA and viroid RNA sequence structure and complementarity-mediated single stranded RNA (ssRNA)-messenger RNA (mRNA) recognition based on hydrogen bonding

Summary

Introduction

Micro RNAs (miRNAs) constitute an 18–25 nucleotide (nt), highly conserved, non-coding, single stranded RNA (ssRNA) family that are the smallest known carriers of highly selective genetic regulatory information in plants and animals (Lukiw et al, 1992, 2008, 2012; Ambros, 2004; Lukiw, 2007, 2012a; Mehler and Mattick, 2007; Bartel, 2009; Guo et al, 2010; Taft et al, 2010; Witkos et al, 2011). We summarize here that from evolutionary, structural, and mechanistic perspectives, at least 18 interdependent lines of evidence currently support the idea that miRNAs and viroids have common and distinguishing genetic features, and share overlapping regulatory and pathogenic mechanisms with intrinsic potential to promote systemic disease.

Results

Conclusion