Hi everyone,
Even though the definitions and descriptions are available online about microRNA ans siRNA, I want to get an insight through the scientists working on it and could give me a practical approach to these terms.
Thanks in advance!
Hi Amisha!
miRNAs and siRNAs are small non-coding RNAs, both can participate in the process of RNA interference (RNAi). Their function is to guide Argonaute to the mRNA target. But there are some differences between them. First, siRNA are originated from large double stranded RNAs, whereas miRNAs are originated from single stranded RNA with stem-loop structure. Both are processed by the RNAse type III dicer and then charged into an Argonaute protein to form the RNA induced silencing complex (RISC). Both have different mechanism of action. siRNAs have perfect complementarity with the mRNA target and propitiate their cleavage. miRNAs has partial complementarity with the target and propitiate the mRNA destabilization trough decap and poly A degradation.
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