线粒体miRNA及其生物学功能

Mitochondrial miRNAs and Their Biological Functions

线粒体是细胞中重要的细胞器,是机体主要的能量代谢场所,参与调节机体的多项生命活动,线粒体功能异常与多种疾病的发生、发展密切相关。微小RNA(micro RNA,miRNA)是一类由内源基因编码的长度为20~25个核苷酸的非编码单链RNA分子,广泛存在于真核生物中。研究表明,miRNA通过抑制靶信使RNA(messenger RNA,m RNA)翻译或促进其降解,在转录后水平调控基因表达。近三分之一的编码基因受miRNA调控,miRNA几乎参与了机体所有的生命活动。以往的研究主要集中于miRNA在细胞核及细胞质中的功能,近年来关于miRNA在线粒体中发挥作用的报道越来越多,miRNA已成为当今生物学研究的新热点。线粒体miRNA对线粒体的功能具有重要的调控作用,并参与许多疾病的发生、发展。该文将就线粒体miRNA及其生物学功能作一综述。

Mitochondria are important organelles in cells, which are the main energy metabolism sites in the body. They are involved in regulating the life activities of the organism. Mitochondrial dysfunction is closely related to the occurrence and development of various diseases. Micro RNA（miRNA） is a class of non-coding singlestranded RNA molecules encoded by endogenous genes of about 20 to 25 nucleotides and is widely found in eukaryotes. Studies have shown that miRNAs can regulate gene expression at post-transcriptional levels by inhibiting target m RNA translation or promoting its degradation. At present, studies have reported that nearly one-third of the protein-coding genes can be regulated by miRNAs. miRNAs are almost involved in all life activities of the body. Previous studies have focused on the function of miRNAs in the nucleus and cytoplasm. In recent years, more and more reports on the role of miRNAs in mitochondria have become a new hotspot in biology research. Mitochondrial miRNAs play an important role in the regulation of mitochondrial function and participate in the development of many diseases. This paper will summarize the mitochondrial miRNA and its biological function.