MicroRNA Analysis

Abstract

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) negatively regulate mRNA species by binding to the 3' untranslated region (3' UTR) in mRNA through nucleotide complementarity which allows limited number of nucleotide mismatches to fine tune the target specificity and the degree of represion. Although miRNAs have been intensively studied for decades, most of their targets and functions remain unknown. Furthermore, many of the miRNAs that have been studied are known to target multiple mRNAs. These properties seriously impede the progress of miRNA analysis. Analysis of miRNAs normally relies on commercial kits for miRNA isolation and sequencing library preparation. This chapter will serve as a general introduction of miRNA analysis. Most of the experimental procedure and sequence data analysis discussed in this chapter can also be found in the paper entitled “global assessment of Antrodia cinnamomea-induced microRNA alterations in hepatocarcinoma cells” published in 2013.

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