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Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) control gene expression in animals, plants, and unicellular eukaryotes
by promoting degradation or repressing translation of target mRNAs. miRNA expression
is often tissue specific and developmentally regulated, and regulation occurs both
transcriptionally and posttranscriptionally. This regulation is crucial, as alteration
of miRNA expression has been linked to human diseases, including several cancers.
Here, we discuss recent studies that shed light on how multiple steps in the miRNA
biogenesis pathway are regulated to modulate miRNA function in animals.
Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.