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mirMachine: A One-Stop Shop for Plant miRNA Annotation

mirMachine: A One-Stop Shop for Plant miRNA Annotation

Published on: May 1, 2021

Mutation of miRNA target sequences during human evolution.

Paul P Gardner¹, Jeppe Vinther

¹Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton CB10 1SA, UK.

Trends in Genetics : TIG

|May 13, 2008

Summary

Mutations in microRNA target sequences, specifically in the human lineage, suggest positive selection. These genetic changes may explain unique human traits by altering gene expression.

Area of Science:

Evolutionary biology
Genetics
Molecular biology

Background:

Non-protein-coding regions and regulatory elements are hypothesized to be under positive selection.
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are key regulators of gene expression.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate if mutations in miRNA target sequences in the human lineage are driven by positive selection.
To explore the functional consequences of these mutations on gene expression and human evolution.

Main Methods:

Identification of 402 putative miRNA target sequences mutated uniquely in the human lineage.
Comparative analysis of gene expression levels between human and mouse orthologs for genes containing these mutated sequences.

Main Results:

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Identified 402 human-specific mutated miRNA target sequences.
Genes with these mutations exhibit higher expression in humans compared to their mouse orthologs.
Evidence suggests these mutations are fixed by positive selection.

Conclusions:

Mutations in miRNA target sequences can be fixed by positive selection during human evolution.
These selected mutations may contribute to the development of human-specific traits by altering gene regulation.