Small temporal RNA (abbreviated stRNA) regulates gene expression during roundworm development by preventing the mRNAs they bind from being translated.^[1] In contrast to siRNA, stRNAs downregulate expression of target RNAs after translation initiation without affecting mRNA stability.^[2] Nowadays, stRNAs are better known as miRNAs.

stRNAs exert negative post-transcriptional regulation by binding to complementary sequences in the 3' untranslated regions of their target genes. stRNAs are transcribed as longer precursor RNAs that are processed by the RNase Dicer/DCR-1 and members of the RDE-1/AGO1 family of proteins, which are better known for their roles in RNA interference (RNAi). stRNAs may function to control temporal identity during development in C. elegans and other organisms.^[3]

1. ^ Ambros V (August 2001). "Development. Dicing up RNAs". Science. 293 (5531): 811–3. doi:10.1126/science.1064400. PMID 11486075. S2CID 45706655.
2. ^ Grosshans H, Slack FJ (January 2002). "Micro-RNAs: small is plentiful". The Journal of Cell Biology. 156 (1): 17–21. doi:10.1083/jcb.200111033. PMC 2173595. PMID 11781331.
3. ^ Banerjee D, Slack F (February 2002). "Control of developmental timing by small temporal RNAs: a paradigm for RNA-mediated regulation of gene expression". BioEssays. 24 (2): 119–29. doi:10.1002/bies.10046. PMID 11835276.

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