From: Mechanisms of microRNA-mediated gene regulation in unicellular model alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii
 | Gene (gene products) | Function in miRNA pathway | Animals (C. elegans) | Plants (A. thaliana) | Algae (C. reinhardtii) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
miRNA biogenesis | Dicer (Ribonuclease III) | Cleavage of pre-miRNA or pri-miRNA | CrDCL3 [33] | ||
DRB (Double-stranded RNA binding Protein) | Assist efficient and precise cleavage of pri-miRNA through interaction with Dicer | ? | |||
Others | Other nuclear regulators in primary microRNA processing | ? | |||
miRNA export | Exportin | Export pre-miRNA or miRNA/miRNA* from nucleus to cytoplasm | ? | ||
miRNA action | AGO (Argonaute) | Central component of RISC, mediate miRNA-directed regulation of endogenous gene expression | AGO1 [54, 55]; AGO2 [56]; AGO4 [57]; AGO5 [36]; AGO7 [58]; AGO10 [107] | ||
RISC (RNA-induced silencing complex) | This complex consists of several proteins and RNA molecules that altogether trigger transcript degradation or preventing translation of target mRNA | ? | |||
mature miRNA modification | HEN1 (small RNA methyl transferase) | Methylation prevents miRNAs from degradation triggered by uridylation | – | ? | |
miRNA degradation | Uridylation | Terminal nucleotidyl transferase that prefers to add untem-plated uridine to the 3′ end of RNA | – |