title: A new unique form of microRNA from human heart, microRNA-499c, promotes myofibril formation and rescues cardiac development in mutant axolotl embryos.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A recessive mutation "c" in the Mexican axolotl, Ambystoma mexicanum, results in the failure of normal heart development. In homozygous recessive embryos, the hearts do not have organized myofibrils and fail to beat. In our previous studies, we identified a noncoding Myofibril-Inducing RNA (MIR) from axolotls which promotes myofibril formation and rescues heart development.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We randomly cloned RNAs from fetal human heart. RNA from clone #291 promoted myofibril formation and induced heart development of mutant axolotls in organ culture. This RNA induced expression of cardiac markers in mutant hearts: tropomyosin, troponin and α-syntrophin. This cloned RNA matches in partial sequence alignment to human microRNA-499a and b, although it differs in length. We have concluded that this cloned RNA is unique in its length, but is still related to the microRNA-499 family. We have named this unique RNA, microRNA-499c. Thus, we will refer to this RNA derived from clone #291 as microRNA-499c throughout the rest of the paper.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This new form, microRNA-499c, plays an important role in cardiac development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Texas A&M University-Commerce, Commerce, TX 75429-3011, USA. Andrei.Kochegarov@tamuc.edu
authors.forename: Andrei
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kochegarov
authors.forename: Ashley
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moses
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lian
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: Michael C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Hanna
authors.forename: Larry F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Lemanski
mesh_terms: D000558:Ambystoma mexicanum / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development*; D000818:Animals; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006321:Heart / Q000196:embryology*; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D009154:Mutation; D009200:Myocardial Contraction; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism*; D009210:Myofibrils / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques
chemical_list: C548683:MIRN499 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs