MicroRNA Target Identification-Experimental Approaches.
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNA molecules of 21-23 nucleotides that control gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. They have been shown to play a vital role in a wide variety of biological processes and dysregulated expression of miRNAs is observed in many pathologies. Understanding the mechanism of action and identifying functionally important mRNA targets of a specific miRNA are essential to unravelling its biological function and to assist miRNA-based drug development. This review summarizes the current understanding of the mechanistic aspects of miRNA-mediated gene repression and focuses on the different approaches for miRNA target identification that have been proposed in recent years.
Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, 65 Aspenlea Road, London W6 8LH, UK. aida.martinez-sanchez@kennedy.ox.ac.uk.
Aida
A
Martinez-Sanchez
Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, 65 Aspenlea Road, London W6 8LH, UK. chris.murphy@kennedy.ox.ac.uk.
Chris L
CL
Murphy