Abstract
Identified five decades ago amongst the most abundant cellular RNAs, small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) were initially described as serving as guides for the methylation and pseudouridylation of ribosomal RNA through direct base pairing. In recent years, however, increasingly powerful high-throughput genomic approaches and strategies have led to the discovery of many new members of the family and surprising diversity in snoRNA functionality and mechanisms of action. SnoRNAs are now known to target RNAs of many biotypes for a wider range of modifications, interact with diverse binding partners, compete with other binders for functional interactions, recruit diverse players to targets and affect protein function and accessibility through direct interaction. This mini-review presents the continuing characterization of the snoRNome through the identification of new snoRNA members and the discovery of their mechanisms of action, revealing a highly versatile noncoding family playing central regulatory roles and connecting the main cellular processes.
Highlights
Small nucleolar RNAs are an ancient and large family of noncoding RNAs present in all eukaryotes and a subset of archaea [1,2]
The best-characterized function of Small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) is in ribosome biogenesis, many snoRNAs serving as guides for the site-specific chemical modification of ribosomal RNA
Different subsequent comparative genomics approaches were employed including the computational comparative analysis of six yeast species [38], the comparison of orthologous introns across mammals [39], the study of the coevolution of snoRNAs and their ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and small nuclear RNAs (snRNAs) target sites across vertebrates [40] and an extensive comparative genomics analysis of fungal snoRNomes [41], all resulting in the discovery of novel members of the snoRNA family
Summary
Small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) are an ancient and large family of noncoding RNAs present in all eukaryotes and a subset of archaea [1,2]. The elucidation of the molecular function and targets of known snoRNAs in guiding 20-O-ribose methylation and pseudouridylation of rRNA [18,19] was a fundamental discovery for the understanding of the role of snoRNAs in cell biology, but it provided an additional important characteristic to enable the identification of further family members.
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