Transfer RNA-Derived Small RNAs: Another Layer of Gene Regulation and Novel Targets for Disease Therapeutics

Overview

Journal Mol Ther

Publisher Cell Press

Specialties Molecular Biology
Pharmacology

Date 2020 Sep 21

PMID 32956625

Citations 54

Authors

Hak Kyun Kim

Ji-Hyun Yeom

Mark A Kay

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Decades after identification as essential for protein synthesis, transfer RNAs (tRNAs) have been implicated in various cellular processes beyond translation. tRNA-derived small RNAs (tsRNAs), referred to as tRNA-derived fragments (tRFs) or tRNA-derived, stress-induced RNAs (tiRNAs), are produced by cleavage at different sites from mature or pre-tRNAs. They are classified into six major types representing potentially thousands of unique sequences and have been implicated to play a wide variety of regulatory roles in maintaining normal homeostasis, cancer cell viability, tumorigenesis, ribosome biogenesis, chromatin remodeling, translational regulation, intergenerational inheritance, retrotransposon regulation, and viral replication. However, the detailed mechanisms governing these processes remain unknown. Aberrant expression of tsRNAs is found in various human disease conditions, suggesting that a further understanding of the regulatory role of tsRNAs will assist in identifying novel biomarkers, potential therapeutic targets, and gene-regulatory tools. Here, we highlight the classification, biogenesis, and biological role of tsRNAs in regulatory mechanisms of normal and disease states.

Citing Articles

The functions and modifications of tRNA-derived small RNAs in cancer biology.

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tRF-AspGTC Promotes Intracranial Aneurysm Formation by Controlling TRIM29-Mediated Galectin-3 Ubiquitination.

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