Computational analysis of microRNA-mediated antiviral defense in humans

FEBS Lett. 2007 Oct 2;581(24):4603-10. doi: 10.1016/j.febslet.2007.08.049. Epub 2007 Aug 31.

Abstract

Recent studies have proposed the interesting perspective that viral gene expression is downregulated by host microRNAs (miRNAs), small non-coding RNAs well known as post-transcriptional gene regulators. We computationally predicted human miRNA target sites within 228 human-infecting and 348 invertebrate-infecting virus genomes, and we observed that human-infecting viruses were more likely than invertebrate-infecting ones to be targeted by human miRNAs. We listed 62 possible human miRNA-targeted viruses from 6 families, most of which consisted of single-stranded RNA viruses. These results suggest that miRNAs extensively mediate antiviral defenses in humans.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antiviral Agents / metabolism*
  • Computer Simulation
  • Down-Regulation / genetics
  • Humans
  • MicroRNAs / genetics*
  • Virus Diseases / genetics*
  • Virus Diseases / prevention & control*

Substances

  • Antiviral Agents
  • MicroRNAs