Improved annotation of C. elegans microRNAs by deep sequencing reveals structures associated with processing by Drosha and Dicer.

ABSTRACT: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small regulatory RNAs that are essential in all studied metazoans. Research has focused on the prediction and identification of novel miRNAs, while little has been done to validate, annotate, and characterize identified miRNAs. Using Illumina sequencing, ∼20 million small RNA sequences were obtained from Caenorhabditis elegans. Of the 175 miRNAs listed on the miRBase database, 106 were validated as deriving from a stem-loop precursor with hallmark characteristics of miRNAs. This result suggests that not all sequences identified as miRNAs belong in this category of small RNAs. Our large data set of validated miRNAs facilitated the determination of general sequence and structural characteristics of miRNAs and miRNA precursors. In contrast to previous observations, we d

SUBMITTER: Warf MB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3062169 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature