title: Enrichment analysis of miRNA targets.
abstract: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of ∼22-nucleotide endogenous noncoding RNAs which regulate target gene expression via repressing translation or promoting mRNAs degradation. Any individual mammalian miRNA often has more than a hundred predicted mRNA targets and that close to one thirds of all mRNA transcripts bear one or more conserved miRNA binding sites in their 3'-untranslated region. Enrichment analysis of miRNA targets has become a standard technique to elucidating hierarchical functions of miRNAs in gene regulatory networks. In this protocol, we discuss analytical methods and use of computational tools in a step-by-step manner. Important details are also provided to help researchers choose more appropriate tools for a given type of analysis. Available Web-based resources for enrichment analysis of miRNA targets are summarized.
authors.affiliation: College of Bioengineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou, China. xujz0451@gmail.com
authors.forename: Jianzhen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Chi-Wai
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Wong
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019295:Computational Biology / Q000379:methods*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D058977:Molecular Sequence Annotation
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs