Smad-mediated regulation of microRNA biosynthesis

• Published in: FEBS letters Vol. 586; no. 14; pp. 1906 - 1912
• Main Authors: Blahna, Matthew T., Hata, Akiko
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier B.V 04-07-2012
• Subjects: Animals; Argonaute; Argonaute Proteins - metabolism; BMP; Bone Morphogenetic Proteins - metabolism; DEAD-box RNA Helicases - metabolism; Dicer; Drosha; Epigenesis, Genetic; Eukaryotic Initiation Factors - metabolism; Gene Expression Regulation; Humans; Metazoa; microRNA; MicroRNAs - metabolism; Models, Biological; Protein Processing, Post-Translational; Ribonuclease III - metabolism; Signal Transduction; Smad; Smad Proteins - metabolism; TGF-β; Transcription, Genetic; Transforming Growth Factor beta - metabolism; BMP; Dicer; Argonaute; microRNA; TGF-β; Smad; Drosha
• ISSN: 0014-5793; 1873-3468
• DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2012.01.041

microRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs conserved in metazoans. Depletion of miRNAs results in embryonic lethality, suggesting they are essential for embryogenesis. Similarly, pathways induced by growth factors of the transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) superfamily control cell growth, differentiation, and development. Recently Smad proteins, the signal transducers of the TGF-β pathway, were found to regulate miRNA expression, which, in turn, affects expression of numerous proteins. Smads modulate miRNA expression through both transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms illustrating the complexity of gene regulation by TGF-β. In this chapter we summarize the current knowledge of mechanisms underlying Smad-mediated regulation of miRNA biogenesis.