MicroRNA modulation of RNA-binding protein regulatory elements.

We propose that microRNAs could modulate RNA-binding protein binding sites in a dynamic manner. We suggest that the cis-regulatory code targeted by microRNAs is, at least in part, the same as that read by mRNA-binding proteins. Our hypothesis predicts that microRNAs indirectly or directly bind to RNA-binding protein binding sites. Alternatively, the microRNA-mRNA interactions can themselves be the target of an mRNA-binding protein. Lastly, we envision examples where multiple mRNA regulatory elements are simultaneously influenced by microRNA-mRNA interactions such that the binding of one or more microRNA results in conformational changes in the structure of the mRNA, thereby, either revealing or masking a second regulatory element.