Killing The Messenger RNA: Small Gene-Silencing Molecules Subject To Redirection By Editing

... Tiny molecules called microRNAs are able to effectively silence large sets of genes. They do this by specifically binding to and neutralizing another form of RNA called messenger RNA. Now, a new study shows that microRNAs can undergo a kind of molecular editing, and a single substitution in their sequence can redirect them to silence entirely different sets of genes from their unedited counterparts. Further, errors in the editing can lead to serious health problems. ...