Identification of evolutionarily conserved Momordica charantia microRNAs using computational approach and its utility in phylogeny analysis

Momordica charantia (bitter gourd, bitter melon) is a monoecious Cucurbitaceae with anti-oxidant, anti-microbial, anti-viral and anti-diabetic potential. Molecular studies on this economically valuable plant are very essential to understand its phylogeny and evolution. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are conserved, small, non-coding RNA with ability to regulate gene expression by bind the 3′ UTR region of target mRNA and are evolved at different rates in different plant species. In this study we have utilized homology based computational approach and identified 27 mature miRNAs for the first time from this bio-medically important plant. The phylogenetic tree developed from binary data derived from the data on presence/absence of the identified miRNAs were noticed to be uncertain and biased. Most of the identified miRNAs were highly conserved among the plant species and sequence based phylogeny analysis of miRNAs resolved the above difficulties in phylogeny approach using miRNA. Predicted gene targets of the identified miRNAs revealed their importance in regulation of plant developmental process. Reported miRNAs held sequence conservation in mature miRNAs and the detailed phylogeny analysis of pre-miRNA sequences revealed genus specific segregation of clusters.     

MicroRNA分析方法进展

MicroRNAs（miRNAs）是一类对基因表达具有调控作用的非编码小分子RNA (18–23 碱基)。MiRNA在动植物中普遍存在,并且在动植物的生长、发育、分化和生殖等过程中发挥着重要作用。人类约30%的基因受miRNA调控,并且miRNA的表达水平与人类重大疾病密切相关。MiRNA的定量检测和表达分析对深入理解其作用机制、疾病的诊断与治疗以及相关基因药物的开发等具有重要意义。MiRNA检测一般是基于核酸杂交和扩增原理,方法主要有Northern印迹、微阵列芯片、原位杂交、实时反转录聚合酶链式反应（PCR）、滚环扩增和基于共轭聚合物的检测等。随着miRNA在不同生物中的大量发现和对其功能的深入研究,miRNA的检测方法不断改进和完善,新的扩增、探针标记技术和检测技术不断被开发。本文综述了miRNA检测方法的研究进展,评述了各类方法的优缺点,并对miRNA检测的发展趋势进行了展望。     

环境污染地区成年男性精子microRNA表达谱的建立

通过收集污染区男性精液标本30份和30份对照地区成年男性的精液标本,提取精子RNA,标记后与miRCU-RYTM LNA Array芯片杂交,分析环境污染与对照地区成年男性精子中miRNA的表达情况。结果表明环境污染与对照地区男性精子共182个miRNA存在表达差异,在环境污染地区73个miRNAs显著上调,109个m...     

Use of Silicon Nanowire Sensors for Early Cancer Diagnosis

The review covers some research conducted in the field of medical and biomedical application of devices based on silicon sensor elements (Si-NW-sensors). The use of Si-NW-sensors is one of the key methods used in a whole range of healthcare fields. Their biomedical use is among the most important ones as they offer opportunities for early diagnosis of oncological pathologies, for monitoring the prescribed therapy and for improving the people’s quality of life.     

RNAi表达载体在哺乳动物中的研究进展

对RNA干扰(RNAi)表达载体的非生物与生物递送系统及主流应用进行综述,明确其在基因调控及未来基因治疗领域的应用前景,并指出其在种属特异性及表达效率等方面存在的局限性.对RNAi表达载体的结构组成、发展沿革及体内作用机制进行归纳分析,提出基于结构组成和加工机制双重属性的分类方法.     

水稻中Intronic MicroRNA与其宿主基因功能关系分析

根据已有的水稻基因组注释,对水稻中已知的437个pre-miRNAs的基因组背景加以分析,有98个(～22%)与蛋白编码基因相重叠,其中69个(～16%)位于蛋白编码基因的内含子区域,即intronic microRNAs(in-miRNAs).对这些in-miRNAs的靶基因进行Gene Ontology(GO)富集分析,结果显示in-miRNAs对蛋白质氨基酸磷酸化,DNA整合,蛋白质水解,恒温保持,防御响应等生物学过程中的基因有明显的调控作用.最后,对宿主基因及靶基因的功能进行整合分析发现有4个in-miRNAs所调控的靶基因与其宿主基因参与了相同的生物过程.我们推断,in-miRNAs可能会在这些生物过程中,通过下调靶基因的表达来协助或抑制其宿主基因的功能.     

Towards Unravelling the Role of ERα-Targeting miRNAs in the Exosome-Mediated Transferring of the Hormone Resistance

Hormone therapy is one of the most effective breast cancer treatments, however, its application is limited by the progression of hormonal resistance, both primary or acquired. The development of hormonal resistance is caused either by an irreversible block of hormonal signalling (suppression of the activity or synthesis of hormone receptors), or by activation of oestrogen-independent signalling pathways. Recently the effect of exosome-mediated intercellular transfer of hormonal resistance was revealed, however, the molecular mechanism of this effect is still unknown. Here, the role of exosomal miRNAs (microRNAs) in the transferring of hormonal resistance in breast cancer cells has been studied. The methods used in the work include extraction, purification and RNAseq of miRNAs, transfection of miRNA mimetics, immunoblotting, reporter analysis and the MTT test. Using MCF7 breast cancer cells and MCF7/T tamoxifen-resistant sub-line, we have found that some miRNAs, suppressors of oestrogen receptor signalling, are overexpressed in the exosomes of the resistant breast cancer cells. The multiple (but not single) transfection of one of the identified miRNA, miR-181a-2, into oestrogen-dependent MCF7 cells induced the irreversible tamoxifen resistance associated with the continuous block of the oestrogen receptor signalling and the activation of PI3K/Akt pathway. We suppose that the miRNAs-ERα suppressors may act as trigger agents inducing the block of oestrogen receptor signalling and breast cancer cell transition to an aggressive oestrogen-independent state.