TarBase-v9.0 extends experimentally supported miRNA-gene interactions to cell-types and virally encoded miRNAs

Area of Science:

• Molecular Biology
• Genomics
• Bioinformatics

Background:

• MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are key regulators of gene expression.
• Accurate miRNA target databases are crucial for biological research.
• Previous versions of TarBase provided experimentally validated miRNA targets.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce the latest version of TarBase (v9.0), a comprehensive database of experimentally supported miRNA targets.
• To expand the database with novel content, including viral miRNAs and target-directed miRNA degradation (TDMD) events.
• To enhance the database's usability and data retrieval capabilities.

Main Methods:

• Curated and integrated experimentally validated miRNA-gene interactions from diverse sources.
• Incorporated data on viral miRNAs and TDMD events.
• Developed a redesigned web interface with advanced querying and filtering options.

Main Results:

• TarBase v9.0 contains approximately 6 million entries, including ~2 million unique miRNA-gene pairs.
• The database covers 37 experimental protocols across 172 tissues and cell types.
• Rich metadata and millions of miRNA-binding locations are provided with cell-type resolution.

Conclusions:

• TarBase v9.0 represents a significant expansion in the scope and depth of miRNA target information.
• The enhanced interface facilitates sophisticated data exploration and analysis.
• This updated resource supports advanced research in miRNA biology and gene regulation.