Small temporal RNA (abbreviated stRNA) regulates gene expression during roundworm development by preventing the mRNAs they bind from being translated.
[1] In contrast to siRNA, stRNAs downregulate expression of target RNAs after translation initiation without affecting mRNA stability.
stRNAs exert negative post-transcriptional regulation by binding to complementary sequences in the 3' untranslated regions of their target genes.
stRNAs are transcribed as longer precursor RNAs that are processed by the RNase Dicer/DCR-1 and members of the RDE-1/AGO1 family of proteins, which are better known for their roles in RNA interference (RNAi).
stRNAs may function to control temporal identity during development in C. elegans and other organisms.