MicroRNA参与水生动物环境污染物胁迫应答的研究进展

Research Progress of MicroRNA Involvement in the Stress Responses of Aquatic Animals to Envirnmental Pollutants

MicroRNAs(miRNAs)是一类由内源基因编码具有多种功能的短序列非编码RNA,miRNA参与生物体细胞凋亡、生长发育及代谢等多个生命活动。近年来已有研究表明当机体暴露于环境污染物(如重金属、有机污染物和新型污染物等)时,miRNA表达的改变可以影响靶基因的表达,进而调控生物机体对外源污染物胁迫下的毒性响应。综述了水生动物中参与不同环境污染物胁迫的miRNA及其作用机制的研究进展,对miRNA今后的研究方向进行讨论和展望,希望为miRNA参与水生动物抗逆性的研究提供一定的参考。

MicroRNAs(miRNA)are small non-coding RNA encoded by endogenous genes.They play important role in various life activities including cell apoptosis,development and growth,metabolism and so on.Recent studies revealed that the changing of miRNA expressions,when organisms are exposing to environmental pollutants such as heavy metal,organic pollutants and so on,may affect the expressions of target genes,further regulate the toxic effect of organism to exogenous pollutants.This review summarizes the research progress of miRNA involved in aquatic animals under different environmental pollutants exposure as well as its mechanisms,discusses and prospects the future research direction of miRNA,aiming to provide some references for studying the stress tolerance of aquatic animals.