Institute of Biochemistry & Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5B6, Canada.
UMR 7179 CNRS (National Centre for Scientific Research), MNHN (National Museum of Natural History), Department of Ecology and Biodiversity Management, Brunoy, France.
Gene. 2018 Nov 30;677:332-339. doi: 10.1016/j.gene.2018.08.014. Epub 2018 Aug 10.
MicroRNA (miRNA) are endogenous small noncoding RNA gene products, on average 22 nt long, that play important regulatory roles in mediating gene expression by binding to and targeting mRNAs for degradation or translational repression. In this paper we identify both novel and conserved miRNA sequences present in the genome of the gray mouse lemur, Microcebus marinus. In total, 122 conserved and 44 novel miRNA were identified with high confidence from the lemur genome (Mmur_2.0) and were used for expression analysis. All conserved and novel miRNA were subjected to relative quantification by RT-qPCR in liver samples from control and torpid lemurs. A total of 26 miRNA (16 conserved and 10 novel) showed increased levels during primate torpor, whereas 31 (30 conserved and 1 novel) decreased. Additional in silico mapping of the predicted mRNA targets of torpor-responsive mature miRNA suggested that miRNA that increased during torpor were collectively involved in cell development and survival pathways, while miRNA that decreased were enriched in targeting immune function. Overall, the study suggests new regulatory mechanisms of primate torpor via miRNA action.
miRNA（microRNA）是内源性的小非编码 RNA 基因产物，平均长度为 22nt，通过与 mRNAs 结合并靶向 mRNAs 降解或翻译抑制，在调节基因表达中发挥重要作用。本文我们鉴定了灰鼠狐猴基因组（Mmur_2.0）中存在的新的和保守的 miRNA 序列。共从狐猴基因组中鉴定出 122 个保守 miRNA 和 44 个新 miRNA，具有较高的可信度，并用于表达分析。所有保守和新的 miRNA 都通过 RT-qPCR 在对照和休眠狐猴的肝样中进行相对定量。在灵长类动物休眠期间，共有 26 个 miRNA（16 个保守和 10 个新）表达水平升高，而 31 个 miRNA（30 个保守和 1 个新）表达水平降低。对休眠反应性成熟 miRNA 的预测 mRNA 靶标的额外的计算机模拟表明，在休眠期间增加的 miRNA 共同参与细胞发育和存活途径，而降低的 miRNA 则富集于靶向免疫功能。总的来说，该研究通过 miRNA 作用提出了灵长类动物休眠的新调控机制。
