Figure 3.

RNA silencing by HIVaINR antisense RNA. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) could be processed from the HIVaINR antisense RNA[14] and duplex RNAs using the host cell protein components of the RNA interference (RNAi) and miRNA pathways. These small RNAs (siRNAs/miRNAs) are proposed to control gene expression in the human host cell in a sequence-specific manner by: (a) chromatin modification and silencing; (b) HIV-mediated RNAi leading to complementary target messenger RNA (mRNA) degradation; (c) miRNA targeted translational repression, and also cleavage if sufficient complementary sequence. (d) Tat protein could function to eliminate or suppress RNA silencing and thereby allow intact mRNA for protein production. Discussed in text.