Project description:We have sequenced miRNA libraries from human embryonic, neural and foetal mesenchymal stem cells. We report that the majority of miRNA genes encode mature isomers that vary in size by one or more bases at the 3’ and/or 5’ end of the miRNA. Northern blotting for individual miRNAs showed that the proportions of isomiRs expressed by a single miRNA gene often differ between cell and tissue types. IsomiRs were readily co-immunoprecipitated with Argonaute proteins in vivo and were active in luciferase assays, indicating that they are functional. Bioinformatics analysis predicts substantial differences in targeting between miRNAs with minor 5’ differences and in support of this we report that a 5’ isomiR-9-1 gained the ability to inhibit the expression of DNMT3B and NCAM2 but lost the ability to inhibit CDH1 in vitro. This result was confirmed by the use of isomiR-specific sponges. Our analysis of the miRGator database indicates that a small percentage of human miRNA genes express isomiRs as the dominant transcript in certain cell types and analysis of miRBase shows that 5’ isomiRs have replaced canonical miRNAs many times during evolution. This strongly indicates that isomiRs are of functional importance and have contributed to the evolution of miRNA genes
Project description:The aim of this study was to analyze global changes of gene expression in lymphocytes from children with trisomy 21 by means of the serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE) methodology. Comparison between DS and normal profiles revealed that most of the transcripts were expressed at similar levels. Among the 242 significantly differentially expressed SAGE tags, many of them corresponded to genes involved in transcription, RNA processing, signaling, immune response and lipid metabolism. Our results indicate that trisomy 21 induces a modest dysregulation of disomic genes that may be related to the immunological perturbations seen in DS. Keywords: SAGE analysis in normal and Down syndrome lymphocytes Lymphocytes were isolated from peripheral blood of normal and karyotypically confirmed full trisomy 21 children. Children included in the study, ranging in age from 1-4 years, were self reported as free of chronic or acute infections. Total RNA was isolated with TRIzol reagent (Invitrogen). The SAGE libraries were constructed using pooled RNA from six DS children (DS library) and six normal children (control group) to eliminate any individual variation. SAGE was performed by means of the I-SAGE kit (Invitrogen) following the manufacturer’s instructions.