Bioinformatics Preprint 05-021
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Titel:
The Expansion of the Metazoan MicroRNA Repertoire
Author(s):
Jana Hertel,
Manuela Lindemeyer,
Kristin Missal,
Claudia Fried,
Andrea Tanzer,
Christoph Flamm,
Ivo L. Hofacker,
Peter F. Stadler,
and The Students of Bioinformatics Computer Labs 2004 and 2005:
Sten Heinze, Alexander ''muppet'' Donath, Sven Findeß,
Stephanie Keller, Kevin Peter,
Julian Jöris, Jokab Mühmel,
Marco Dienelt (in Leipzig),
Martina Hödl, Bernhard Wurzinger, Camille Stephan-Otto Attolini,
Ulrich Omasits,
Sebastian Krüttner,
Regina Anzengruber, Daniela Lenek, Gregor Neumayr,
Reinhard Wohlfart (in Vienna).
Submitted
Abstract:
MicroRNAs have been identified as crucial regulators in both animals and
plants. Here we report on a comprehensive comparative study of all known
miRNA families in animals. We expand the MicroRNA Registry 6.0
by more than 1000 new homologs of miRNA precursors whose expression has
been verified in at least one species. Using this uniform data basis we
analyze their evolutionary history in terms of individual gene
phylogenies and in terms of preservation of genomic nearness across
species. This allows us to reliably identify microRNA clusters that are
derived from a common transcript.
We identify three episodes of microRNA innovation that correspond to
major developmental innovations: A class of about 20 miRNAs is common to
protostomes and deuterostomes and might be related to the advent of
bilaterians. A second large wave of innovations maps to the branch
leading to the vertebrates. The third significant outburst of miRNA
innovation coincides with placental (eutherian) mammals. In addition, we
observe the expected expansion of the microRNA inventory due to genome
duplications in early vertebrates and in an ancestral teleost. The
non-local duplications in the vertebrate ancestor are predated by local
(tandem) duplications leading to the formation of about a dozend ancient
microRNA clusters.
Keywords: Micro RNA, Evolution, Gene phylogenies, Genome duplication.
AMS:
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Last modified: 2004-03-28 19:56:33 studla