内含子miRNA与宿主基因之间的关系

Relationship between intron miRNAs with their host genes

miRNA是一种小的非编码RNA分子,是重要的基因表达调节剂,在个体发育、新陈代谢和一些疾病的形成中发挥重要作用.根据其所在位置不同,miRNA可分为基因间miRNA和内含子miRNA,已知有一半以上的miRNA位于编码蛋白质基因的内含子区域内,其中有内含子miRNA嵌入的基因称为宿主基因.由于内含子miRNA与宿主基因关系的特殊性,因此有研究者发现其与宿主基因执行共表达但可起相同或相反的作用,即内含子miRNA可与促进宿主基因的基因或位点结合,从而抑制宿主基因的表达;也可与抑制宿主基因表达的基因结合,从而正调宿主基因的表达.因此,内含子micRNA的发现不仅提供了对内含子功能的更多认识,且有助于理解宿主基因通路的功能.从miRNA的形成、内含子miRNA定义及其与宿主基因之间的关系进行综述,以期为内含子miRNA的研究提供更好的思路.

miRNA is a small non-coding RNA molecule and an important gene expression regulator.They play an important role in the development of ontogeny,metabolism and the formation of some diseases.According to its position in the genome,it is mainly divided into two categories,intergenic miRNA(between genes)and intron miRNA(within genes).As know,more than half of miRNAs are located in the intron region of protein-coding genes,and the genes with intron miRNAs embedded are called host genes.Due to the special relationship between the intron miRNA gene and the host,found that it plays the same or opposite role when co-expressed with the host gene.Intronic miRNA may be combined with the gene or locus of host genes promoting,thereby inhibiting the expression of host genes.It can also be combined with genes that inhibit host gene expression to upregulate host gene expression.The discovery of intron microRNA not only provides more insights into the function of introns,but also helps to understand the function of host gene pathways.Review the formation of miRNAs,the definition of intron miRNAs and their relationship with host genes,in order to provide better ideas for future intron miRNA research.