A new algorithm accurately identifies hundreds of previously unknown microRNA genes
In short: Researchers developed a computational tool called miRDeep2 to identify microRNAs, which are small molecules that regulate how genes are expressed in animals. By analyzing data from seven different animal species, the team found that the algorithm could identify both known and hundreds of new microRNAs with an accuracy rate of up to 99.9%.
MicroRNAs are essential for many biological processes, but finding them in complex genetic data is difficult. The researchers validated miRDeep2 by knocking down the miRNA biogenesis pathway in human cells; the majority of the novel miRNAs predicted by the software were successfully downregulated. However, the study's primary focus is on the software's performance across diverse clades, and its real-world application depends on the quality of the sequencing data provided.
The study used a computational approach to analyze seven animal clades and a controlled experiment in a human cell line to verify the results.
Why it matters: New computational tools are making it easier for scientists to discover the small molecules that control gene expression.
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Sources
- Source: Research: Friedlander et al. (2012). miRDeep2 accurately identifies known and hundreds of novel microRNA genes in seven animal clades. Nucleic acids research. · cc by-nc
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