Micro-RNA Modulation of Insect Virus Replication Verna Monsanto-Hearne and Karyn N. Johnson* School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. *Correspondence:
[email protected] htps://doi.org/10.21775/cimb.034.061 Abstract Saleh, 2012; Xu and Cherry, 2014; Mussabekova Te outcome of virus infection in insects is impacted et al., 2017). Many molecular components medi- by regulation of both host and virus gene expres- ate and are mediated by this host–virus cross-talk, sion. A class of small RNAs called micro-RNAs including microRNAs. (miRNA) have emerged as important regulators of microRNAs (miRNAs) are a large class of highly gene expression that can infuence the outcome of conserved, ≈ 22 nt non-coding RNAs that regulate virus infection. miRNA regulation occurs at a com- gene expression. Compared to the more upstream paratively late stage of gene expression, allowing for regulatory mechanisms such as transcriptional rapid control and fne-tuning of gene expression regulation and chromatin remodelling, regulation levels. Here we discuss the biogenesis of miRNAs by miRNA occurs at a later stage of gene expres- from both host and virus genomes, the interactions sion, allowing for rapid control and fne-tuning of that lead to regulation of gene expression, and the gene expression levels (Chen et al., 2013). Comple- miRNA–mRNA interactions that lead to either mentary binding of at least the seed region (second antivirus or provirus consequences in the course of to eighth nucleotide from the 5′-end) of the ≈ 22 nt virus