Emde_2014_EMBO.J_33_1428

microRNAs (miRNAs) are a family of small, non-coding RNAs, which provides broad silencing activity of mRNA targets in a sequence-dependent fashion. This review explores the hypothesis that the miRNA machinery is intimately linked with the cellular stress pathway and apparatus. Stress signaling potentially alters the function of the miRNA-bioprocessing core components and decompensates regulation. In addition, dysregulation of miRNA activity renders the cell more prone to stress and emerges as a new pathway for age-related insults and diseases, such as neurodegeneration.