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MicroRNA Expression: Protein Participants in MicroRNA Regulation

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Bioinformatics in MicroRNA Research

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 1617))

Abstract

MiRNAs are ~20 nt small RNAs that regulate networks of proteins using a seed region of nucleotides 2–8 to complement the 3′ UTR of target mRNAs. The biogenesis and function of miRNAs as translational repressors is facilitated by protein counterparts that process primary and precursor miRNAs to maturity (Drosha/DCGR8 and Dicer/TRBP respectively) and incorporate miRNAs into the protein complex RISC to recognize and repress target mRNAs (RISC proteins: Ago/TRBP1/TRBP2/DICER). Similarly, siRNAs through comparable mechanisms are loaded into the protein complex RITS to heterochromatin formation of DNA and suppress transcription of particular genes. MiRNAs are also regulated themselves through many different pathways including transcriptional regulation, post-transcriptional RNA editing, and RNA tailing. Dysregulation of miRNAs and the protein participants that mature them are implicated in the development of a number of diseases, tumorigenesis, and arrested development of embryonic cells. In this chapter, we will explore the biosynthesis, function, and regulation of miRNAs.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL, 36688, USA

    Valeria M. King & Glen M. Borchert Ph.D.

  2. Department of Pharmacology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL, 36688, USA

    Glen M. Borchert Ph.D.

Authors
  1. Valeria M. King
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  2. Glen M. Borchert Ph.D.
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Glen M. Borchert Ph.D. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Computing, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, USA

    Jingshan Huang

  2. Department of Pharmacology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, USA

    Glen M. Borchert

  3. Department of Computer and Information Science, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, USA

    Dejing Dou

  4. Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, USA

    Jun (Luke) Huan

  5. School of Bioengineering, Qilu University of Technology, Jinan, Shandong, China

    Wenjun Lan

  6. Mitchel Cancer Institute, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, USA

    Ming Tan

  7. Department of Endocrinology, First Affiliated Hospital, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China

    Bin Wu

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King, V.M., Borchert, G.M. (2017). MicroRNA Expression: Protein Participants in MicroRNA Regulation. In: Huang, J., et al. Bioinformatics in MicroRNA Research. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1617. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-7046-9_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-7046-9_2

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-7044-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-7046-9

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