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Updated: Jun 23, 2026

MicroRNA-based Regulation of Picornavirus Tropism
Published on: February 6, 2017
Identification of microRNA in the protist Trichomonas vaginalis
Wei-Chen Lin1, Sung-Chou Li, Wen-Chang Lin
1Molecular Regulation and Bioinformatics Laboratory, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan.
Abstract:
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small noncoding RNAs that have important regulatory roles in multicellular organisms. However, miRNA has never been identified experimentally in protist. Direct cloning of 438 expressed miRNA tags by microRNA serial analysis of gene expression from the parasitic protist Trichomonas vaginalis identified nine candidate miRNAs. Bioinformatics analysis of the corresponding genomic region revealed that these miRNA candidates contain a classical stem-loop-stem structure of pre-microRNAs. Analysis of the 20 nt long mature tva-miR-001 showed that it is an intergenic miRNA located at the scaffold DS113596. Tva-miR-001 was differentially expressed in the trophozoite, pseudocyst and amoeboid stages. Based on the experimental results of the present study, we provided solid evidence that protist possesses a miRNA regulating network comparable with multicellular organisms for the first time.
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