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MicroRNAs

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MicroRNA (miRNA) are short, regulatory RNA transcribed from introns—non-coding regions of a gene—or intergenic regions—stretches of DNA present between genes. Several processing steps are required to form biologically active, mature miRNA. The initial transcript, called primary miRNA (pri-mRNA), base-pairs with itself forming a stem-loop structure. Within the nucleus, an endonuclease enzyme, called Drosha, shortens the stem-loop structure into hairpin-shaped pre-miRNA. After the pre-miRNA ends...

MicroRNAs

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MicroRNA (miRNA) are short, regulatory RNA transcribed from introns (non-coding regions of a gene) or intergenic regions (stretches of DNA present between genes). Several processing steps are required to form biologically active, mature miRNA. The initial transcript, called primary miRNA (pri-mRNA), base-pairs with itself, forming a stem-loop structure. Within the nucleus, an endonuclease enzyme, called Drosha, shortens the stem-loop structure into hairpin-shaped pre-miRNA. After the pre-miRNA...

MicroRNAs

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 18, 2026

MicroRNA-based Regulation of Picornavirus Tropism

MicroRNA-based Regulation of Picornavirus Tropism

Published on: February 6, 2017

MicroRNAs from the same precursor have different targeting properties.

Antonio Marco¹, Jamie I Macpherson, Matthew Ronshaugen

¹Faculty of Life Sciences, Michael Smith Building, Oxford Road, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, UK. antonio.marco@manchester.ac.uk.

|September 29, 2012

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Both arms of a precursor microRNA can produce functional mature microRNAs with distinct mRNA targets. Changes in arm selection during development or evolution significantly impact microRNA function.

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MicroRNA-based Regulation of Picornavirus Tropism

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MicroRNA Amplification and Recognition through Locked-nucleic-acid In situ Hybridization as a Novel Detection and Quantification Method

Published on: October 7, 2025

Area of Science:

Molecular Biology
Genetics
Biochemistry

Background:

MicroRNA (miRNA) processing yields a duplex from precursor hairpin arms (5' and 3').
Traditionally, one miRNA strand is degraded, while the other joins the RNA-induced silencing complex.
However, both arms can produce functional miRNAs, with dominance varying across species, tissues, and developmental stages.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the targeting relationship between mature miRNAs derived from the 5' and 3' arms of the same precursor.
To determine if these miRNA pairs target overlapping or functionally related genes.

Main Methods:

Utilized six advanced algorithms for microRNA target prediction.
Analyzed predicted mRNA targets for mature sequences originating from both arms of pre-microRNAs.

Main Results:

Mature miRNAs from the 5' and 3' arms of pre-miRNAs target distinct sites within mRNA 3' untranslated regions.
These miRNA pairs generally do not target overlapping sets of genes.
The targeted genes are typically not functionally related.

Conclusions:

Alternative mature products from the same precursor miRNA exhibit different targeting specificities.
These distinct targeting properties confer different biological functions to the alternative miRNA products.
Modifications in precursor arm selection during development or evolution have substantial functional implications.