Small temporal RNA

Small temporal RNA (abbreviated stRNA) regulates gene expression during roundworm development by preventing the mRNAs they bind from being translated.^[1] In contrast to siRNA, stRNAs downregulate expression of target RNAs after translation initiation without affecting mRNA stability.^[2] 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.^[3]