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PMID: 18711447 Published · ppublish English Journal Article Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Review

The evolution and functional diversification of animal microRNA genes.

Cell research ·Vol. 18 ·No. 10 ·2008-10-00 ·Pages 985-96

Liu N, Okamura K, Tyler DM, Phillips MD, Chung WJ, Lai EC

Abstract

microRNAs (miRNAs) are an abundant class of approximately 22 nucleotide (nt) regulatory RNAs that are pervasive in higher eukaryotic genomes. In order to fully understand their prominence in genomes, it is necessary to elucidate the molecular mechanisms that can diversify miRNA activities. In this review, we describe some of the many strategies that allow novel miRNA functions to emerge, with particular emphasis on how miRNA genes evolve in animals. These mechanisms include changes in their sequence, processing, or expression pattern; acquisition of miRNA* functionality or antisense processing; and de novo gene birth. The facility and versatility of miRNAs to evolve and change likely underlies how they have become dominant constituents of higher genomes.

MeSH Terms
Animals Base Sequence Drosophila melanogaster/genetics Evolution, Molecular Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental Genes, Homeobox MicroRNAs/genetics,metabolism Molecular Sequence Data RNA Interference RNA Processing, Post-Transcriptional RNA, Untranslated/genetics
Chemicals
MicroRNAs RNA, Untranslated
Authors & Affiliations
6 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Liu Na
Department of Developmental Biology, Sloan-Kettering Institute, 521 Rockefeller Research Laboratories, New York, NY 10065, USA.
Okamura Katsutomo
Tyler David M
Phillips Michael D
Chung Wei-Jen
Lai Eric C
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Article Info
Journal
Cell research
Abbr.
Cell Res
ISSN
1748-7838
DOI
10.1038/cr.2008.278
Published
2008-10-00
Pages
985-96
Language
English
Region
England
NLM ID
9425763
PMCID
PMC2712117
Subset
IM
Grants
NHGRI NIH HHS · U01-HG004261 · United States
NIGMS NIH HHS · R01 GM083300-01 · United States
NHGRI NIH HHS · U01 HG004261-01 · United States
NIGMS NIH HHS · R01-GM083300 · United States
NHGRI NIH HHS · U01 HG004261 · United States
NIGMS NIH HHS · R01 GM083300 · United States
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.1038/cr.2008.278 PMC Full Text View journal details
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