Open AccessTemporospatial guidance of activity-dependent gene expression by microRNA: mechanisms and functional implications for neural plasticity
Author(s) -
Dylan Kiltschewskij,
Murray J. Cairns
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
nucleic acids research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 9.008
H-Index - 537
eISSN - 1362-4954
pISSN - 0305-1048
DOI - 10.1093/nar/gky1235
Subject(s) - biology , microrna , gene expression , regulation of gene expression , neuroplasticity , gene , neuroscience , phenotype , neural development , psychological repression , genetics , computational biology , microbiology and biotechnology
MicroRNA are major regulators of neuronal gene expression at the post-transcriptional and translational levels. This layer of control is critical for spatially and temporally restricted gene expression, facilitating highly dynamic changes to cellular structure and function associated with neural plasticity. Investigation of microRNA function in the neural system, however, is at an early stage, and many aspects of the mechanisms employing these small non-coding RNAs remain unclear. In this article, we critically review current knowledge pertaining to microRNA function in neural activity, with emphasis on mechanisms of microRNA repression, their subcellular remodelling and functional impacts on neural plasticity and behavioural phenotypes.