Classification and function of RNA-protein interactions

Almost all RNAs need to interact with proteins to fully exert their functions, and proteins also bind to RNAs to act as regulators. It has now become clear that RNA-protein interactions play important roles in many biological processes among organisms. Despite the great progress that has been made in the field, there is still no precise classification system for RNA-protein interactions, which makes it challenging to further decipher the functions and mechanisms of these interactions. In this review, we propose four different categories of RNA-protein interactions according to their basic characteristics: RNA motif-dependent RNA-protein interactions, RNA structure-dependent RNA-protein interactions, RNA modification-dependent RNA-protein interactions, and RNA guide-based RNA-protein interactions. Moreover, the integration of different types of RNA-protein interactions and the regulatory factors implicated in these interactions are discussed. Furthermore, we emphasize the functional diversity of these four types of interactions in biological processes and disease development and assess emerging trends in this exciting research field. This article is categorized under: RNA Interactions with Proteins and Other Molecules > Protein-RNA Interactions: Functional Implications RNA Interactions with Proteins and Other Molecules > Protein-RNA Recognition RNA Processing > RNA Editing and Modification.