title: Identification and characterization of microRNAs from Phaeodactylum tricornutum by high-throughput sequencing and bioinformatics analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Diatoms, which are important planktons widespread in various aquatic environments, are believed to play a vital role in primary production as well as silica cycling. The genomes of the pennate diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum and the centric diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana have been sequenced, revealing some characteristics of the diatoms' mosaic genome as well as some features of their fatty acid metabolism and urea cycle, and indicating their unusual properties. To identify microRNAs (miRNAs) from P. tricornutum and to study their probable roles in nitrogen and silicon metabolism, we constructed and sequenced small RNA (sRNA) libraries from P. tricornutum under normal (PT1), nitrogen-limited (PT2) and silicon-limited (PT3) conditions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 13 miRNAs were identified. They were probable P. tricornutum-specific novel miRNAs. These miRNAs were sequenced from P. tricornutum under normal, nitrogen-limited and/or silicon-limited conditions, and their potential targets were involved in various processes, such as signal transduction, protein amino acid phosphorylation, fatty acid biosynthetic process, regulation of transcription and so on.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicated that P. tricornutum contained novel miRNAs that have no identifiable homologs in other organisms and that they might play important regulator roles in P. tricornutum metabolism.
authors: Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IOCAS), Qingdao, China.
authors: Aiyou
authors: A
authors: Huang
authors: Linwen
authors: L
authors: He
authors: Guangce
authors: G
authors: Wang
mesh_terms: D019295:Computational Biology; D017377:Diatoms / Q000235:genetics*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015723:Gene Library; D016678:Genome; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000494:pharmacology; D010766:Phosphorylation; D017423:Sequence Analysis, RNA / Q000379:methods*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D012825:Silicon / Q000494:pharmacology; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D035683:MicroRNAs; D009584:Nitrogen; D012825:Silicon