title: Polymorphisms in human pre-miRNAs.
abstract: MicroRNAs constitute a growing class of non-coding RNAs that are thought to regulate gene expression via translational repression. MicroRNAs are initially transcribed as several hundred-nucleotide pri-miRNAs and are then processed to approximately 60-nucleotide hairpin pre-miRNAs. We hypothesized that polymorphisms in both pre-miRNA and mature microRNA modify various biological processes by influencing the processing and/or target selection of microRNAs. In the present study, we sequenced 173 human pre-miRNA genome regions in 96 subjects and found 10 polymorphisms in the 10 pre-miRNA hairpin regions. Although most of these polymorphisms seem to have no effect on microRNA processing, we identified a C to A polymorphism in the mature miR-30c-2 sequence. This polymorphism may alter target selection and thus exert profound biological effects. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of polymorphisms in pre-miRNAs.
authors.affiliation: National Cardiovascular Center Research Institute, 5-7-1 Fujishirodai, Suita, Osaka 565-8565, Japan. iwai@ri.ncvc.go.jp
authors.forename: Naoharu
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Iwai
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Naraba
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012322:RNA Precursors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs; D012322:RNA Precursors