MicroRNAs: new kids on the genomic block

Dr. Noam Shomron. Group Leader and Head Genome High-throughput sequencing laboratory Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University. Israel.

A central gene regulatory mechanism, recently identified in animals, is regulation by small non-coding RNAs termed microRNAs. MicroRNAs control gene expression in animals by binding to mRNA targets and leading them to facilitated degradation and translation inhibition. Currently there are hundreds of reported human microRNAs predicted to control at least half of the transcriptome. MicroRNAs were observed to be important for a diverse range of biological processes such as differentiation and development, and to play a pivotal role during human pathogenesis. I will present
our computational and experimental efforts, using high-throughput techniques, in identifying: (i) the complete animal microRNA repertoire; (ii) the characteristics of effective microRNA targeting in animals; and (iii) novel and dominant functions microRNAs play in the cellular context during health and disease.