The birth and death of microRNA genes in Drosophila

Jian Lu; Yang Shen; Qingfa Wu; Supriya Kumar; Bin He; Suhua Shi; Richard W Carthew; San Ming Wang; Chung-I Wu

doi:10.1038/ng.73

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The birth and death of microRNA genes in Drosophila

Journal article

Peer reviewed

The birth and death of microRNA genes in Drosophila

Jian Lu, Yang Shen, Qingfa Wu, Supriya Kumar, Bin He, Suhua Shi, Richard W Carthew, San Ming Wang and Chung-I Wu

Nature genetics, Vol.40(3), pp.351-355

03/2008

DOI: 10.1038/ng.73

PMID: 18278047

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Abstract

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, endogenously expressed RNAs that regulate mRNAs post-transcriptionally. The class of miRNA genes, like other gene classes, should experience birth, death and persistence of its members. We carried out deep sequencing of miRNAs from three species of Drosophila, and obtained 107,000 sequences that map to no fewer than 300 loci that were not previously known. We observe a large class of miRNA genes that are evolutionarily young, with a rate of birth of 12 new genes per million years (Myr). Most of these new miRNAs originated from non-miRNA sequences. Among the new genes, we estimate that 96% disappeared quickly in the course of evolution; only 4% of new miRNA genes were retained by natural selection. Furthermore, only 60% of these retained genes became integrated into the transcriptome in the long run (60 Myr). This small fraction (2.5%) of surviving miRNAs may later on become moderately or highly expressed. Our results suggest that there is a high birth rate of new miRNA genes, accompanied by a comparably high death rate. The estimated net gain of long-lived miRNA genes, which is not strongly affected by either the depth or the breadth (number of tissues) of sequencing, is 0.3 genes per Myr in Drosophila.

Genes, Insect

Animals

Selection, Genetic

Conserved Sequence

Male

MicroRNAs - genetics

Genome, Insect

Phylogeny

Nucleic Acid Conformation

MicroRNAs - chemistry

Drosophila - genetics

Evolution, Molecular

Details

Title: Subtitle: The birth and death of microRNA genes in Drosophila
Creators: Jian Lu - Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Chicago, 1101 East 57th Street, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA
Yang Shen
Qingfa Wu
Supriya Kumar
Bin He
Suhua Shi
Richard W Carthew
San Ming Wang
Chung-I Wu - University of Chicago
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Nature genetics, Vol.40(3), pp.351-355
DOI: 10.1038/ng.73
PMID: 18278047
NLM abbreviation: Nat Genet
ISSN: 1061-4036
eISSN: 1546-1718
Publisher: United States
Grant note: R01 GM077581 / NIGMS NIH HHS
Language: English
Date published: 03/2008
Academic Unit: Biology
Record Identifier: 9983992064502771

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