If you want an inkling of how hot the microRNA field is, just look at miRBase.

In April, the University of Manchester’s miRNA database updated to version 15 with the addition of some 4,000 new sequences, including 300 or so new human miRNAs. The database now contains 14,197 records from some 130-plus organisms and viruses, up from 10,883 in September 2009’s version 14.

“It was unexpected that there would suddenly be such a sudden jump in known human miRNAs,” says Christoph Eicken, head of microarray technical services at LC Sciences, a microRNA service provider. “It was almost stable for one to one-and-a-half years, which is a long time in the microRNA field.”  (read more… )

MicroRNA Expression Analysis – Biocompare Featured Article is a post from: LC Sciences Blog. More information about LC Sciences can be here.

The latest version (15.0) of the miRBase sequence database for known miRNAs was released today.

miRBase 15 is freely available at http://www.mirbase.org/. You can find a quick summary for the new release at ftp://mirbase.org/pub/mirbase/CURRENT/README.

Highlights of the new release:

• Release 15 represents a major update to the database increasing the number of mature miRNA sequences by a full 48% over release 14.0.
• This latest release features a total of 15,632 mature miRNA sequences.
• The number of verified microRNAs has increased from 10,883 to 14,197 hairpin precursor miRNAs.
• 18 new species have been added bringing the total to 133 species.
• Many sequences have been updated or revised.
• New sequences have been added to important model species – Human (219), Mouse (11), Rat (1), Drosophila (218), Nematode sp. (311), Arabidopsis (9).
• New sequences have been added to important agricultural species – Cow (50), Pig (98), Silkworm (396), Peanut (23), Cotton sp.(24), Orange sp.(25), Rice (33), Sorghum (8), Corn (61).
• A total of 526 new plant sequences and 53 new virus sequences
• Other important new species include – Zebra Finch, Japanese Killifish, Yellow Fever & West Nile Mosquitos, Castor Oil Plant

This updated probe content is currently available on all of our standard or custom microRNA microarrays.

miRBase Version 15.0 Arrives is a post from: LC Sciences Blog. More information about LC Sciences can be here.

Scientists Scrutinize Promising Molecules as Potential Drug Targets and Biomarkers

Genetic Engineering News – Patricia F. Dimond, Ph.D.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) finely regulate gene expression and play an important role in various cellular processes, including cell growth, differentiation, proliferation, and apoptosis. To date, more than 5,000 of these endogenous, noncoding single-stranded RNAs have been identified. miRNAs act through binding to complementary mRNA sequences, thereby preventing their translation into protein or accelerating mRNA breakdown. Investigators are working on exploiting these molecules for experimental and potential therapeutic applications. (read more)

miRNAs’ Therapeutic Potential is a post from: LC Sciences Blog. More information about LC Sciences can be here.

Seq-Array^SM provides an efficient pathway from an initial broad microRNA search to focused biological insights.

Seq-Array is Coming! is a post from: LC Sciences Blog. More information about LC Sciences can be here.

Elizabeth Lipp

MicroRNA (miRNA) has a significant role in controlling developmental and cancer processes like cell proliferation, differentiation, cell cycle, apoptosis, and metastasis. This ubiquitousness and their recently revealed role as key regulators of gene expression during development has boosted their use as agents in the fight against cancer. It’s a hot topic “and it’s getting hotter,” said Frank Slack, associate professor of molecular, cellular, and developmental biology at Yale University … (read more)

microRNAs Inform Cancer Research is a post from: LC Sciences Blog. More information about LC Sciences can be here.

miRBase Release 14.0 Now Available is a post from: LC Sciences Blog. More information about LC Sciences can be here.