Systematic analysis of human microRNA divergence based on evolutionary emergence.
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in post-transcriptional gene expression control. To gain new insight into human miRNAs, we performed comprehensive sequence-based homology search for known human miRNAs to study the evolutionary distribution of human miRNAs. Furthermore, we carried out a series of studies to compare various features for different lineage-specific human miRNAs. Our results showed that major expansions of human miRNA genes coincide with the advent of vertebrates, mammals and primates. Further system-level analysis revealed significant differences in human miRNAs that arose from different evolutionary time points for a number of characteristics, implicating genetic and functional diversification for different human miRNAs during evolution. Our finds provide more useful knowledge for further exploring origins and evolution of human miRNA genes.
College of Bioinformatics Science and Technology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
Qiang-Hu
QH
Wang
Meng
M
Zhou
Jie
J
Sun
Shang-Wei
SW
Ning
Yan
Y
Li
Li
L
Chen
Yan
Y
Zheng
Xiang
X
Li
Sa-Li
SL
Lv
Xia
X
Li
D000818:Animals; D001482:Base Composition / Q000235:genetics; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D030541:Databases, Genetic; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics; D014644:Genetic Variation / Q000235:genetics*; D015894:Genome, Human / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics*; D013997:Time Factors
D035683:MicroRNAs