- 作者: Genesio M Karere; Jeremy P Glenn; John L VandeBerg; Laura A Cox
- 作者服務機構: Department of Genetics, Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research, San Antonio, USA
- 中文摘要: --
- 英文摘要:
Background: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs (~22 nucleotides) that regulate
gene expression by cleaving mRNAs or inhibiting translation. The baboon is a wellcharacterized
cardiovascular disease model; however, no baboon miRNAs have been identified.
Evidence indicates that the baboon and human genomes are highly conserved; based on this
conservation, we hypothesized that comparative genomic methods could be used to identify
baboon miRNAs.
Methods: We employed an in silico comparative genomics approach and human miRNA arrays
to identify baboon expressed miRNAs in liver (n=6) and lymphocytes (n=6). Expression profiles
for selected miRNAs in multiple tissues were validated by RT-PCR.
Results: We identified in silico 555 putative baboon pre-miRNAs, of which 41% exhibited 100%
identity and an additional 58% shared more than 90% sequence identity with human premiRNAs.
Some of these miRNAs are primate-specific and are clustered in the baboon genome
like human miRNA clusters. We detected expression of 494 miRNAs on the microarray and
validated expression of selected miRNAs in baboon liver and lymphocytes by RT-PCR. We also
observed miRNA expression in additional tissues relevant to dyslipidemia and atherosclerosis.
Approximately half of the miRNAs expressed on the array were not predicted in silico
suggesting that we have identified novel baboon miRNAs, which could not be predicted using
the current draft of the baboon genome.
Conclusion: We identified a subset of baboon miRNAs using a comparative genomic
approach, identified additional baboon miRNAs using a human array and showed tissue-specific
expression of baboon miRNAs. Our discovery of baboon miRNAs in liver and lymphocytes will
provide resources for studies on the roles of miRNAs in dyslipidemia and atherosclerosis, and
for translational studies. - 中文關鍵字: --
- 英文關鍵字: --