miRTarBase update 2022: an informative resource for experimentally validated miRNA-target interactions

Area of Science:

• Molecular Biology
• Genomics
• Bioinformatics

Background:

• MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are key regulators of gene expression involved in numerous physiological and pathological processes.
• miRNA-target interactions (MTIs) are a significant focus for drug development.
• miRTarBase is a crucial biological database for experimentally validated MTIs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To update and enhance the miRTarBase database with new features and expanded data.
• To improve the identification and annotation of miRNA-target interactions and related disease information.
• To provide a more research-friendly platform for exploring miRNA functions and biomarkers.

Main Methods:

• Accumulation of over 2.2 million verified MTIs from curated literature and CLIP-seq data.
• Implementation of an optimized scoring system for MTI article and disease information recognition.
• Integration of miRNA expression profiles (exosomal and tissue-specific) and characterization of SNPs/variants affecting MTI.
• Enhancement of the user interface with classified attributes and seed sequence analysis for binding sites.

Main Results:

• The database now contains >2,200,449 verified MTIs from 13,389 articles.
• An optimized scoring system enhances the recognition of MTI-related articles and disease associations.
• Characterization of SNPs and variants impacting miRNA-target binding efficiency.
• Integration of diverse miRNA expression data for functional and biomarker exploration.
• Improved user interface with classified attributes and seed sequence analysis.

Conclusions:

• The enhanced miRTarBase provides a comprehensive and experimentally validated resource for MTI research.
• The database supports drug development, biomarker discovery, and a deeper understanding of miRNA functions.
• This updated version solidifies miRTarBase's position as a leading, research-amicable MTI database.