J Mol Evol. 2013 Jun;76(6):353-8. doi: 10.1007/s00239-013-9563-2. Epub 2013 Jun 6.
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNA molecules which are processed into ~20-24 nt molecules that can regulate the gene expression post-transcriptionally. MiRNA gene clusters have been identified in a range of species, where in miRNAs are often processed from polycistronic transcripts. In this study, a computational approach is used to investigate the extent of evolutionary conservation of the miR-71/2 cluster in animals, and to identify novel miRNAs in the miRNA cluster miR-71/2. The miR-71/2 cluster, consisting of copies of the miR-71 and miR-2 (including miR-13) families, was found to be Protostome-specific. Although, this cluster is highly conserved across the Protostomia, the miR-2 family is completely absent from the Deuterostomia species, while miR-71 is absent from the Vertebrata and Urochordata. The evolutionary conservation and clustering propensity of the miR-71/2 family across the Protostomes could indicate the common functional roles across the member species of the Protostomia.
微小 RNA（miRNA）是一类小型非编码 RNA 分子，经过加工后形成约 20-24 个核苷酸的分子，可以在转录后水平调控基因表达。miRNA 基因簇已在多种物种中被鉴定出来，miRNA 通常由多顺反子转录本加工而成。在这项研究中，我们采用计算方法研究了动物 miR-71/2 簇的进化保守程度，并鉴定了 miR-71/2 簇中新的 miRNA。miR-71/2 簇由 miR-71 和 miR-2（包括 miR-13）家族的拷贝组成，是原口动物特有的。尽管该簇在原口动物中高度保守，但 miR-2 家族完全不存在于后口动物中，而 miR-71 则不存在于脊椎动物和尾索动物中。miR-71/2 家族在原口动物中的进化保守性和聚类倾向表明，其在原口动物成员物种中具有共同的功能作用。
