miRNA genes and the canalization of animal development

Question 1

some more obscure functions of ncRNAs

Answer 1

guarding against parasitic DNA elements- Piwi-interacting RNAs
recruitment of histone modifiers- HOTAIR and HOTTIP

Question 2

3 steps of RNA processing

Answer 2

Drosha, DICER, RISC

Question 3

what does Drosha do

Answer 3

form the pre-miRNA, which is then exported

Question 4

what does DICER do

Answer 4

chop off the ends of the pre-miRNA

Question 5

what is the RISC complex

Answer 5

protein complex which takes up one strand of the miRNA to create the miRNP which targets mRNAs

Question 6

varied functions of miRNAs

Answer 6

degradation- can occur in plants or animals
blocking of translation- happens in animals

Question 7

main functionality of miRNAs

Answer 7

expression in different cells to their targets- keeps ‘leaky’ transcription down
expression in the cell itself, making sure RNA levels aren’t too high or low

Question 8

miRNA evolutionary function

Answer 8

reducing ‘noise’- makes sure that if a phenotype is selected for, the genotype does actually follow

Question 9

miRNAs and complexity

Answer 9

does seem to be some level of correlation