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Published on: December 3, 2019
Human miR-1271 is a miR-96 paralog with distinct non-conserved brain expression pattern
Kevin P Jensen1, Jonathan Covault
1Alcohol Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT 06030, USA.
Nucleic Acids Research
|September 25, 2010
Summary
Human miR-1271, a novel small RNA, functions identically to conserved miR-96 in vitro. However, its unique expression in the brain suggests a distinct role in human neural development and function.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Deep sequencing reveals novel, non-conserved small RNAs in mammalian cells.
- The physiological importance of these small RNAs remains largely unexplored.
- Human miR-96 is a conserved microRNA linked to hearing loss when mutated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the function of the novel small RNA, human miR-1271.
- To compare the regulatory activity of miR-1271 with the conserved miR-96.
- To identify potential in vivo roles for miR-1271 in human physiology.
Main Methods:
- Sequence comparison between human miR-1271 and miR-96.
- In vitro assays to assess regulatory activity.
- Identification of target mRNAs using bioinformatics and expression analysis.
- Analysis of miR-1271 and miR-96 expression patterns in human and rodent tissues.
Main Results:
- miR-1271 shares sequence similarity and identical in vitro regulatory activity with miR-96.
- Identified brain-expressed mRNAs (GPHN, RGS2, HOMER1, KCC2) as shared targets.
- Human miR-1271 is highly expressed in the brain, unlike miR-96.
- Rodent miR-1271 precursor processing appears less efficient due to sequence differences.
Conclusions:
- miR-1271 and miR-96 exhibit identical functions in vitro but distinct in vivo activities.
- miR-1271's specific expression pattern in the human brain suggests a unique role.
- miR-1271 may play a significant, non-conserved role in human neural development or function.
