Small temporal RNA

Small temporal RNA (abbreviated stRNA) regulates gene expression during roundworm development by preventing the mRNAs they bind from being translated.{{cite journal | vauthors = Ambros V | title = Development. Dicing up RNAs | journal = Science | volume = 293 | issue = 5531 | pages = 811–3 | date = August 2001 | pmid = 11486075 | doi = 10.1126/science.1064400 | s2cid = 45706655 }} In contrast to siRNA, stRNAs downregulate expression of target RNAs after translation initiation without affecting mRNA stability.{{cite journal | vauthors = Grosshans H, Slack FJ | title = Micro-RNAs: small is plentiful | journal = The Journal of Cell Biology | volume = 156 | issue = 1 | pages = 17–21 | date = January 2002 | pmid = 11781331 | pmc = 2173595 | doi = 10.1083/jcb.200111033 }} Nowadays, stRNAs are better known as miRNAs.

stRNAs exert negative post-transcriptional regulation by binding to complementary sequences in the 3' untranslated regions of their target genes. stRNAs are transcribed as longer precursor RNAs that are processed by the RNase Dicer/DCR-1 and members of the RDE-1/AGO1 family of proteins, which are better known for their roles in RNA interference (RNAi). stRNAs may function to control temporal identity during development in C. elegans and other organisms.{{cite journal | vauthors = Banerjee D, Slack F | title = Control of developmental timing by small temporal RNAs: a paradigm for RNA-mediated regulation of gene expression | journal = BioEssays | volume = 24 | issue = 2 | pages = 119–29 | date = February 2002 | pmid = 11835276 | doi = 10.1002/bies.10046 | doi-access = free }}