title: A rapid method to screen putative mRNA targets of any known microRNA.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  microRNAs (miRNAs) are a group of regulatory RNAs that regulate gene expression by binding to specific sequences on target mRNAs. However, functional identification of mRNA targets is usually difficult and time consuming. Here we report hybrid-PCR as a new and rapid approach to screen putative mRNA targets in vitro.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifteen putative target mRNAs for human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) miR-UL112-1, including previously confirmed HCMV IE72, were identified from mRNA-derived cDNAs using hybrid-PCR. Moreover, we randomly validated six different target candidates by luciferase reporter assays, and confirmed that their luciferase activities were down-regulated with co-transfection of HCMV miR-UL112-1.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study demonstrated that hybrid-PCR is an effective and rapid approach for screening putative miRNA targets, with much more advantage of simplicity, low cost, and ease of implementation.
authors.affiliation: Virus Laboratory, the Affiliated Shengjing Hospital, China Medical University, 110004 Shenyang, Liaoning, PR China.
authors.forename: Yujing
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Qi
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Ruan
authors.forename: Yanping
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Yaohua
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.forename: Zhengrong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000235:genetics*; D005814:Genes, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D057809:HEK293 Cells; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs; D012333:RNA, Messenger