title: DIANA-microT web server: elucidating microRNA functions through target prediction.
abstract: Computational microRNA (miRNA) target prediction is one of the key means for deciphering the role of miRNAs in development and disease. Here, we present the DIANA-microT web server as the user interface to the DIANA-microT 3.0 miRNA target prediction algorithm. The web server provides extensive information for predicted miRNA:target gene interactions with a user-friendly interface, providing extensive connectivity to online biological resources. Target gene and miRNA functions may be elucidated through automated bibliographic searches and functional information is accessible through Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways. The web server offers links to nomenclature, sequence and protein databases, and users are facilitated by being able to search for targeted genes using different nomenclatures or functional features, such as the genes possible involvement in biological pathways. The target prediction algorithm supports parameters calculated individually for each miRNA:target gene interaction and provides a signal-to-noise ratio and a precision score that helps in the evaluation of the significance of the predicted results. Using a set of miRNA targets recently identified through the pSILAC method, the performance of several computational target prediction programs was assessed. DIANA-microT 3.0 achieved there with 66% the highest ratio of correctly predicted targets over all predicted targets. The DIANA-microT web server is freely available at www.microrna.gr/microT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Oncology, Biomedical Sciences Research Center Alexander Fleming, Vari.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maragkakis
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reczko
authors.forename: V A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Simossis
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Alexiou
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Papadopoulos
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dalamagas
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Giannopoulos
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Goumas
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Koukis
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kourtis
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vergoulis
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Koziris
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sellis
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tsanakas
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Hatzigeorgiou
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D001665:Binding Sites; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D017423:Sequence Analysis, RNA; D012984:Software; D014584:User-Computer Interface
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs; D012333:RNA, Messenger