What is it about?
The regulation of messenger ribonucleic acids (mRNAs) is known to involve microRNAs and large non-coding RNAs, which typically are present at low levels. The ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs) however are available at levels higher by several orders of magnitude. The expansion segments of the largest (28S) rRNA are shown in the paper to have much larger capacity for interaction with mRNAs than the core parts of 28S rRNA, or any parts of 18S rRNA. These segments largely are not bound to ribosomal proteins, are located on the surface of the ribosome, and could interact with either the proteins associated with mRNAs or with mRNAs themselves to help mobilization and positioning of these informational molecules.
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Why is it important?
If the expansion segments of 28S rRNA (and to a lesser degree also of 18S rRNA) can be shown by experiment to generally interact efficiently with messenger RNAs, this could open new ways for regulation and handling of mRNAs. The expansion segments of 28S rRNA have a very specific constitution, and fragments of these segments supplied to cells have a large potential for influencing mRNA disposition and fate.
Perspectives
Comparative study of physical association of the expansion segments and other parts of rRNAs with mRNAs and proteins complexed with mRNAs should clarify the relative significance of the expansion segments in regulation of mRNAs. This also can open the way for controlling interactions of cellular mRNAs with own microRNAs and long non-coding RNAs, and also with viral and bacterial RNAs and RNA-associated proteins.
Prof. Steven L Parker
UTHSC Memphis
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: The Expansion Segments of Human 28S rRNA Match MicroRNAs Much Above 18S rRNA or Core Segments, MicroRNA, June 2018, Bentham Science Publishers,
DOI: 10.2174/2211536607666180328120018.
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