Biological process

gene silencing by miRNA, gene silencing by microRNA, microRNA-mediated gene silencing

A post-transcriptional gene silencing pathway in which regulatory microRNAs (miRNAs) elicit silencing of specific target genes. miRNAs are endogenous 21-24 nucleotide small RNAs processed from stem-loop RNA precursors (pre-miRNAs). Once incorporated into a RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC), miRNAs can downregulate protein production by either of two posttranscriptional mechanisms: endonucleolytic cleavage of the RNA (often mRNA) or mRNA translational repression, usually accompanied by poly-A tail shortening and subsequent degradation of the mRNA. miRNAs are present in all the animals and in plants, whereas siRNAs are present in lower animals and in plants.