A computational model for non-conserved mature miRNAs from the rice genome

SAR QSAR Environ Res. 2014;25(3):205-20. doi: 10.1080/1062936X.2013.875941. Epub 2014 Mar 7.

Abstract

Several computational approaches employ the high complementarity of plant miRNAs to target mRNAs as a filter to recognize miRNA. Numerous non-conserved miRNAs are known with more recent evolutionary origin as a result of target gene duplication events. We present here a computational model with knowledge inputs from reported non-conserved mature miRNAs of Oryza sativa (rice). Sequence- and structure-based approaches were used to retrieve miRNA features based on rice Argonaute protein and develop a multiple linear regression (MLR) model (r(2) = 0.996, q(2)cv = 0.989) which scored mature miRNAs as predicted by the MaturePred program. The model was validated by scoring test set (q(2) = 0.990) and computationally predicted mature miRNAs as external test set (q(2)test = 0.895). This strategy successfully enhanced the confidence of retrieving most probable non-conserved miRNAs from the rice genome. We anticipate that this computational model would recognize unknown non-conserved miRNA candidates and nurture the current mechanistic understanding of miRNA sorting to unveil the role of non-conserved miRNAs in gene silencing.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Genome, Plant
  • MicroRNAs / chemistry*
  • MicroRNAs / genetics
  • MicroRNAs / isolation & purification*
  • Models, Molecular
  • Nucleic Acid Conformation
  • Oryza / chemistry*
  • Oryza / genetics

Substances

  • MicroRNAs