Ageing and the small, non-coding RNA world

MicroRNAs, a class of small, non-coding RNAs, are now widely known for their importance in many aspects of biology. These small regulatory RNAs have critical functions in diverse biological events, including development and disease. Recent findings show that microRNAs are essential for lifespan determination in the model organisms, Caenorhabditis elegans and Drosophila, suggesting that microRNAs are also involved in the complex process of ageing. Further, short RNA fragments derived from longer parental RNAs, such as transfer RNA cleavage fragments, have now emerged as a novel class of regulatory RNAs that inhibit translation in response to stress. In addition, the RNA editing pathway is likely to act in the double-stranded RNA-mediated silencing machinery to suppress unfavorable RNA interference activity in the ageing process. These multiple, redundant layers in gene regulatory networks may make it possible to both stably and flexibly regulate genetic pathways in ensuring robustness of developmental and ageing processes.