Micropeptides Encoded by Non-Coding RNA

Abstract

Advancements in high throughput sequencing techniques have revealed different classes of non coding RNA contain short open reading frames (sORFS) with coding potential Similarly a combination of bioinformatic tools and experimental data have identified that sORFs are in fact translated to small proteins called micropeptides. Thus non-coding RNA previously annotated as non-protein forming, seem to have newly identified coding ability and therefore need to be reclassified as bifunctional RNA. This review discusses the changing paradigms of ncRNA classification to include its coding functions, methods to identify sORFs within these classes, and the functional relevance of micropeptides. It also aims to highlight the potential application of micropeptides in therapeutic and agronomic interventions. Finally, it provides future research perspectives in this nascent but promising field of micropeptide biology.