Emerging Functions for snoRNAs and snoRNA-Derived Fragments

The widespread implementation of mass sequencing has revealed a diverse landscape of small RNAs derived from larger precursors. Whilst many of these are likely to be byproducts of degradation, there are nevertheless metabolically stable fragments derived from tRNAs, rRNAs, snoRNAs, and other non-coding RNA, with a number of examples of the production of such fragments being conserved across species. Coupled with specific interactions to RNA-binding proteins and a growing number of experimentally reported examples suggesting function, a case is emerging whereby the biological significance of small non-coding RNAs extends far beyond miRNAs and piRNAs. Related to this, a similarly complex picture is emerging of non-canonical roles for the non-coding precursors, such as for snoRNAs that are also implicated in such areas as the silencing of gene expression and the regulation of alternative splicing. This is in addition to a body of literature describing snoRNAs as an additional source of miRNA-like regulators. This review seeks to highlight emerging roles for such non-coding RNA, focusing specifically on “new” roles for snoRNAs and the small fragments derived from them.