microRNA biochemistry Actions Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/science/microRNA Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/science/microRNA Also known as: miRNA, micro RNA Written by Kara Rogers Kara Rogers is the senior editor of biomedical sciences at Encyclopædia Britannica, where she oversees a range of content from medicine and genetics to microorganisms. She joined Britannica in 2006 and... Kara Rogers Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Oct 15, 2024 • Article History Table of Contents Key People: Victor Ambros Gary Ruvkun (Show more) Ask the Chatbot a Question Ask the Chatbot a Question microRNA (miRNA), small molecule in cells, typically about 21–25 nucleotides in length, that plays a crucial role in the regulation of gene expression. MicroRNA (miRNA) is unique relative to other forms of RNA, which function primarily to carry and translate the genetic code from DNA into protein. By contrast, miRNA neither carries codes from DNA (and thus is described as “noncoding”) nor engages in the production of proteins; in fact, it regulates genes by silencing protein synthesis. The first miRNA was discovered in the early 1990s by American scientists Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun, who shared the 2024 Nobel Prize ...(100 of 382 words)

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