Splicing factors as regulators of miRNA biogenesis - links to human disease

Semin Cell Dev Biol. 2018 Jul:79:113-122. doi: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2017.10.008. Epub 2017 Oct 19.

Abstract

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally by fine-tuning mRNA levels and translation during development and in adult tissues. miRNAs are transcribed as parts of longer precursors that undergo multiple processing steps before the mature miRNAs reach their target mRNAs in the cytoplasm. In addition to Drosha/DGCR8 and Dicer that are the essential components of the miRNA processing pathway, a range of other RNA binding proteins have recently been implicated in miRNA biogenesis. Among these, several well-known splicing factors have emerged as regulators of distinct miRNAs. In this review, we examine the mechanisms by which splicing factors regulate miRNA biogenesis. As both splicing factors and miRNAs play central roles in human disease biology we discuss implications of the links between splicing factors and miRNAs in human disease.

Keywords: RNA binding protein; SR protein; Splicing factor; hnRNP; miRNA biogenesis; miRNA processing.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Disease / genetics*
  • Gene Expression Regulation*
  • Humans
  • MicroRNAs / genetics*
  • Models, Genetic
  • RNA Precursors / genetics
  • RNA Processing, Post-Transcriptional
  • RNA Splicing Factors / genetics*
  • RNA Splicing Factors / metabolism
  • RNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism

Substances

  • DGCR8 protein, human
  • MicroRNAs
  • RNA Precursors
  • RNA Splicing Factors
  • RNA-Binding Proteins