向日葵保守性microRNA的预测与分析

Computational Identification of Conserved MicroRNAs and Their Target Genes in Sunflower(Helianthus Annuus)

microRNA是一类非编码的小分子RNA,通过与靶mRNA的互补来抑制靶mRNA的翻译或者降解靶mRNA,从而在转录后水平对基因表达发挥调控作用。为了快速挖掘向日葵microRNA及其靶基因的相关信息,根据microRNA序列及其前体结构的保守性,在向日葵核酸数据库中预测并分析了向日葵microRNA及其靶基因。经过筛选最终获得了7个向日葵microRNA,其成熟microRNA的长度为18～21nt,前体长度为72～148nt,最小折叠自由能系数为0.90～1.19。获得了向日葵mi-croRNA的靶基因16条,这些靶基因参与了转录调控、营养阶段转换调控、种子萌发调控、花发育调控、信号传递以及环境刺激的响应等过程。

MicroRNAs are a class of conserved non-protein-coding small RNAs. MicroRNAs can regulate gene ex- pression at the post-transcriptional level by degrading target mRNAs or repressing mRNA translation. In order to mine the information about microRNAs and their target genes in sunflower （Helianthus annuus）, we identified the conserved sunflower microRNAs and their target genes using a computational homology search approach. Based on the conserved sequences of microRNAs and the conserved stem-loop structure of microRNA precursors,7 conserved microRNAs were detected from the sunflower nucleic acids database. The mature microRNAs were 18 -21nt in length, and the microRNA precursors were 72 - 148nt in length. The minimal free energy indexes of the microRNA precursors were 0.90 - 1.19. A total of 16 potential target genes for the microRNAs were predicted. Most of the tar- get genes were involved in sunflower regulation of transcription, regulation of vegetative phase change, regulation of seed germination, regulation of flower development, signal transduction and stress response.