title: Identification and characterization of microRNAs in Baylisascaris schroederi of the giant panda.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Baylisascaris schroederi is one of the most significant threats to the giant panda's survival, responsible for half of the deaths reported from 2001 to 2005. MicroRNA (miRNA) has been identified as one of the key factors for gene regulations at the post-transcriptional level, and also considered as a potential control and treatment target against infectious diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  The present study investigated the miRNA profile of B. schroederi via high throughput sequencing and real-time quantitative PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 18.07 million raw reads were obtained and 18.01 million were identified with high quality. By analysis of standard stem-loop structures, 108 miRNA candidates were predicted, including 60 known miRNAs and 48 novel ones. Target prediction revealed that the "chitinase" was the most abundant target with 483 sequences, and 263 targets were related to ovarian and egg development. The ribosomal protein related sequences occupied 449 sequences.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Previous studies have shown that some parasites secrete chitinases for exsheathment and/or for penetrating the peritrophic matrix of the host. It therefore seems that B. schroederi may be effectively regulated by miRNAs for development, invasion, and reproduction. Given that chitinases have been identified as important biological control agents for pests, identification of microRNAs in B. schroederi of the giant panda would provide useful information for the development of biological control strategies and/or vaccines against B. schroederi infection in the giant panda.
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province, 712100, People's Republic of China. zgh083@163.com
authors.forename: Guang-Hui
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Min-Jun
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Xing-Quan
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Zhu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017191:Ascaridida Infections / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D001199:Ascaridoidea / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001483:Base Sequence; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D059014:High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D001503:Ursidae / Q000469:parasitology*
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs