小RNA(MicroRNA)研究方法

Advances in Study Methods on MicroRNAs

小RNA（microRNA）是一类新发现的长度约为21～25个核苷酸的RNA,它在转录后水平调节靶基因表达.已有研究表明,小RNA在发育、细胞增殖、凋亡、脂类代谢、激素分泌及肿瘤发生等多种生理和病理过程中发挥重要作用.针对小RNA的研究方法主要包括两大类：一是以传统实验技术方法为基础建立起来的小RNA特有的技术方法,二是已成熟应用的生物信息学技术.前者侧重于小RNA表达的检测和功能机制的阐明,后者则包括新小RNA基因及小RNA靶基因的预测.两者相辅相成,互为补充,为深入地研究这类分子的功能和分子机制提供了大量功能线索及确凿的实验证据.

MicroRNAs（miRNAs） are newly discovered 21 ～ 25 nt small RNAs that regulate gene expression at post-transcriptional level, miRNAs have been proved to be involved in various physical and pathological precesses, such as development, cell proliferation, apoptosis, fat metabolism, hormone secretion and tumor development. The study methods on miRNAs include two main categories： miRNA-specific technology based on classical experiment techniques and broadly applied bioinformatics. The former is involved in miRNA detection and function analysis, and the latter focus on miRNA gene prediction and miRNA targets prediction. These two complementary parts could provide not only the functional clues, but also the solid proof to better understand the physical roles of miRNAs and the mechanisms by which they function.