title: Computational identification of microRNAs in Anatid herpesvirus 1 genome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a group of short (~22 nt) noncoding RNAs that specifically regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. miRNA precursors (pre-miRNAs), which are imperfect stem loop structures of ~70 nt, are processed into mature miRNAs by cellular RNases III. To date, thousands of miRNAs have been identified in different organisms. Several viruses have been reported to encode miRNAs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Here, we extended the analysis of miRNA-encoding potential to the Anatid herpesvirus 1 (AHV-1). Using computational approaches, we found that AHV-1 putatively encodes 12 mature miRNAs. We then compared the 12 mature miRNAs candidates with the all known miRNAs of the herpesvirus family. Interestingly, the "seed sequences" (nt 2 to 8) of 2 miRNAs were predicted to have the high conservation in position and/or sequence with the 2 miRNAs of Marek's disease virus type 1 (MDV-1). Additionally, we searched the targets from viral mRNAs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Using computational approaches, we found that AHV-1 putatively encodes 12 mature miRNAs and 2 miRNAs have the high conservation with the 2 miRNAs of MDV-1. The result suggested that AHV-1 and MDV-1 should have closed evolutionary relation, which provides a valuable evidence of classification of AHV-1. Additionally, seven viral gene targets were found, which suggested that AHV-1 miRNAs could affect its own gene expression.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Wenjiang, Chengdu city, Sichuan 611130, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.forename: Anchun
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Mingshu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Shunchuan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Dekang
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Renyong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.forename: Shun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Xiaoyu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiaoyue
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D019295:Computational Biology / Q000379:methods; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D016679:Genome, Viral; D025922:Mardivirus / Q000235:genetics*; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs; D012367:RNA, Viral