title: Computational approach for identification of Anopheles gambiae miRNA involved in modulation of host immune response.
abstract: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, noncoding RNAs that play key roles in regulating gene expression in animals, plants, and viruses, which involves in biological processes including development, cancer, immunity, and host-microorganism interactions. In this present study, we have used the computational approach to identify potent miRNAs involved in Anopheles gambiae immune response. Analysis of 217,261 A. gambiae ESTs and further study of RNA folding revealed six new miRNAs. The minimum free energy of the predicted miRNAs ranged from -27.2 to -62.63 kcal/mol with an average of -49.38 kcal/mol. While its A + U % ranges from 50 to 65 % with an average value of 57.37 %. Phylogenetic analysis of the predicted miRNAs revealed that aga-miR-277 was evolutionary highly conserved with more similarity with other mosquito species. Observing further the target identification of the predicted miRNA, it was noticed that the aga-miR-2304 and aga-miR-2390 are involved in modulation of immune response by targeting the gene encoding suppressin and protein prophenoloxidase. Further detailed studies of these miRNAs will help in revealing its function in modulation of A. gambiae immune response with respect to its parasite.
authors.affiliation: Pondicherry Centre for Biological Sciences, Jawahar Nagar, Pondicherry, 605 005, India. thiru_dna@yahoo.co.in
authors.forename: Krishnaraj
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Thirugnanasambantham
authors.forename: Villianur Ibrahim
authors.initials: VI
authors.lastname: Hairul-Islam
authors.forename: Subramanian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saravanan
authors.forename: Subramaniyan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Subasri
authors.forename: Ariraman
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Subastri
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000852:Anopheles / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D001483:Base Sequence; D019295:Computational Biology / Q000379:methods*; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D020224:Expressed Sequence Tags; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D010802:Phylogeny; D059370:RNA Folding
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs