312-319<span style="font-family:
AdvPTimes;mso-bidi-font-family:AdvPTimes" lang="EN-GB">MicroRNAs
(miRNAs) are recently discovered class of highly conserved, non-coding small
RNAs that regulate gene expression in plants. High conservation of miRNAs in
plants provides the basis for identification of new miRNAs in other plant
species through homology alignment. Expressed sequence tags (ESTs) provide an
alternative resource to facilitate identification of miRNAs and their targets.
We have identified 8 conserved miRNAs representing two miRNA families from
turmeric by in silico analysis of ESTs. The computational prediction was
based on the conservation of miRNA sequences, the stem-loop hairpin secondary
structures of miRNAs and a series of filtering criteria. Parameters like length
of mature miRNA and precursor miRNA, nucleotide composition and free energy
values were well within the range of other plant miRNAs. Multiple sequence
alignment of miR167 precursors revealed high conservation of mature miRNA
sequences. It was observed that though miRNAs are highly conserved, some
specific sites are more likely to mutate. Most of the predicted targets
appeared conserved and were classified as proteins involved in stress response,
development and metabolism.
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