MicroRNAs in domestic livestock.

Department of Bioinformatics, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland; and.

Physiological genomics 2013 Aug 15

microRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small noncoding RNA that bind to complementary sequences in the untranslated regions of multiple target mRNAs resulting in posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression. The recent discovery and expression-profiling studies of miRNAs in domestic livestock have revealed both their tissue-specific and temporal expression pattern. In addition, breed-dependent expression patterns as well as single nucleotide polymorphisms in either the miRNA or in the target mRNA binding site have revealed associations with traits of economic importance and highlight the potential use of miRNAs in future genomic selection programs.

Attia Fatima, Dermot G Morris. MicroRNAs in domestic livestock. Physiological genomics. 2013 Aug 15;45(16):685-96

PMID: 23780847