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Related Concept Videos

Cis-regulatory Sequences02:02

Cis-regulatory Sequences

Cis-regulatory sequences are short fragments of non-coding DNA that are present on the same chromosomes as the genes that they regulate. These fragments serve as binding sites for transcriptional regulators, proteins that are responsible for controlling gene transcription and differential gene expression across cell types in eukaryotes. Cis-regulatory sequences can be close to the gene of interest or thousands of bases away in the DNA sequence; however, those sequences that are further away are...
Cis-regulatory Sequences02:02

Cis-regulatory Sequences

Cis-regulatory sequences are short fragments of non-coding DNA that are present on the same chromosomes as the genes that they regulate. These fragments serve as binding sites for transcriptional regulators, proteins that are responsible for controlling gene transcription and differential gene expression across cell types in eukaryotes. Cis-regulatory sequences can be close to the gene of interest or thousands of bases away in the DNA sequence; however, those sequences that are further away are...
Gene Evolution - Fast or Slow?02:05

Gene Evolution - Fast or Slow?

The genomes of eukaryotes are punctuated by long stretches of sequence which do not code for proteins or RNAs. Although some of these regions do contain crucial regulatory sequences, the vast majority of this DNA serves no known function. Typically, these regions of the genome are the ones in which the fastest change, in evolutionary terms, is observed, because there is typically little to no selection pressure acting on these regions to preserve their sequences.
In contrast, regions which code...
Gene Evolution - Fast or Slow?02:05

Gene Evolution - Fast or Slow?

The genomes of eukaryotes are punctuated by long stretches of sequence which do not code for proteins or RNAs. Although some of these regions do contain crucial regulatory sequences, the vast majority of this DNA serves no known function. Typically, these regions of the genome are the ones in which the fastest change, in evolutionary terms, is observed, because there is typically little to no selection pressure acting on these regions to preserve their sequences.
In contrast, regions which code...
Multi-species Conserved Sequences02:51

Multi-species Conserved Sequences

Next-generation sequencing technologies have created large genomic databases of a variety of animals and plants. Ever since the human genome project was completed, scientists studied the genome of primates, mammals, and other phylogenetically distant living beings. Such large-scaleĀ  studies have provided new insights into the evolutionary relationship between organisms.
Although the genome of each species varies greatly from each other, a few sequences are highly conserved. Such conserved DNA...
MicroRNAs01:22

MicroRNAs

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...

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mirMachine: A One-Stop Shop for Plant miRNA Annotation
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mirMachine: A One-Stop Shop for Plant miRNA Annotation

Published on: May 1, 2021

miRNA regulatory variation in human evolution.

Jingjing Li1, Zhaolei Zhang

  • 1Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA. lijj@stanford.edu

Trends in Genetics : TIG
|November 7, 2012
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) drive human evolution by diversifying gene expression. Studying this post-transcriptional regulation reveals adaptive variation and genetic novelty crucial for natural selection.

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Area of Science:

  • Genetics
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are key regulators of post-transcriptional gene expression in humans.
  • The role of miRNAs in human evolution and interindividual variation is under-explored.
  • Current evolutionary studies predominantly focus on protein-coding genes and transcription factors.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To illustrate the extent of variation in miRNA-mediated post-transcriptional regulation in humans.
  • To explore the adaptive significance of post-transcriptional control in human evolution.
  • To highlight the importance of including post-transcriptional variations in evolutionary analyses.

Main Methods:

  • Review of recent studies on miRNA-mediated regulation.
  • Analysis of interindividual variation in miRNA expression and function.
  • Comparative genomics and evolutionary analysis of miRNA regulatory networks.

Main Results:

  • Significant variation exists in miRNA-mediated post-transcriptional regulation among humans.
  • Post-transcriptional regulation by miRNAs complements transcriptional control by transcription factors (TFs).
  • miRNA-driven gene expression diversification generates genetic novelty for natural selection.

Conclusions:

  • Post-transcriptional regulation by miRNAs represents an adaptive evolutionary mechanism.
  • Understanding human phenotypic evolution requires comprehensive examination of post-transcriptional variations.
  • Incorporating miRNA-mediated regulation adds a new dimension to evolutionary genetics and genotype-phenotype mapping.