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Updated: Sep 14, 2025
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mirMachine: A One-Stop Shop for Plant miRNA Annotation
Published on: May 1, 2021
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Plant microRNA maturation and function
Yu Yu1,2, Han Wang3, Chenjiang You4
1State Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Modulation Research, Peking-Tsinghua Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China. yuyu@pku.edu.cn.
Nature Reviews. Molecular Cell Biology
|July 18, 2025
Summary
Plant microRNAs (miRNAs) are key regulators of gene expression. This review details recent advances in understanding miRNA biogenesis, function, localization, and intercellular movement, offering new hypotheses for future research.
Area of Science:
- Plant molecular biology
- Gene regulation
- RNA biology
Background:
- Plant microRNAs (miRNAs) discovered in 2002 regulate gene expression.
- Key aspects include encoding genes, target regulation, biogenesis, and effector proteins.
- Previous work established miRNA roles in target recognition, action modes, localization, and mobility.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent mechanistic insights into plant miRNA biology.
- To discuss miRNA maturation, ARGONAUTE (AGO) protein loading, and subcellular localization.
- To explore miRNA movement within and between plant cells and connections to translation.
Main Methods:
- Literature review and synthesis of recent research findings.
- Analysis of mechanistic studies on miRNA biogenesis and function.
- Discussion of experimental and theoretical models of miRNA trafficking and activity.
Main Results:
- New insights into miRNA processing, AGO loading, and subcellular partitioning (nucleus vs. cytoplasm).
- Understanding how subcellular localization influences miRNA intercellular mobility.
- Emerging evidence links miRNA activity to the translation process.
Conclusions:
- Plant miRNA pathways are complex, involving intricate regulation of maturation and localization.
- Subcellular dynamics significantly impact miRNA function and systemic signaling in plants.
- Future research should focus on testing hypotheses regarding miRNA-translation interactions and mobility mechanisms.
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