Gene regulation by microRNAs created from "junk" genomic elements

What is it about?

MicroRNAs are short RNA molecules that serve as important regulators of gene expression. Transposable elements, on the other hand, are parasitic genomic elements that can self-replicate or jump to different genomic locations, potentially causing mutations and disrupting gene sequences. This study shows evidence that some transposable elements have played a beneficial role during mammalian evolution, contributing to microRNA genes and microRNA regulatory sites in protein-coding genes.

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