RNA component of signal recognition particle 7SL pseudogene 359 (RN7SL359P)

RN7SL359P is a pseudogene derived from the 7SL RNA component of the signal recognition particle (SRP). The 7SL RNA is normally part of the SRP ribonucleoprotein complex that recognizes signal peptides and directs protein trafficking to the endoplasmic reticulum[5]. As a pseudogene, RN7SL359P represents a non-functional copy that has accumulated mutations over evolutionary time[1]. However, recent research has revealed that pseudogenes, including those derived from 7SL RNA, are not merely "junk DNA" but can have regulatory functions[2]. These pseudogenes can be transcribed into RNA and processed into small interfering RNAs that regulate their parent coding genes through RNA interference pathways[2]. Some pseudogenes also act as microRNA decoys, binding to microRNAs and preventing them from targeting their intended mRNA targets, thereby indirectly regulating gene expression[2]. The 7SL RNA family has been associated with various cellular processes including translation control, stress response, and has been implicated in cancer through extracellular vesicle-mediated cell communication[3]. Multiple 7SL pseudogenes exist in the human genome, displaying diverse truncation patterns and structural variations[4].

Other names

7SL RNA pseudogene 359RNA 7SL cytoplasmic 359 pseudogene

MicroRNA sequestration, Small interfering RNA-mediated gene silencing