Copy number variations burden on miRNA genes reveals layers of complexities involved in the regulation of pathways and phenotypic expression.
PLoS One 2014;
9:e90391. [PMID:
24587348 PMCID:
PMC3938728 DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0090391]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2013] [Accepted: 01/28/2014] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs are involved in post-transcriptional down-regulation of gene expression. Variations in miRNA genes can severely affect downstream-regulated genes and their pathways. However, population-specific burden of CNVs on miRNA genes and the complexities created towards the phenotype is not known. From a total of 44109 CNVs investigated from 1715 individuals across 12 populations using high-throughput arrays, 4007 miRNA-CNVs (∼ 9%) consisting 6542 (∼ 5%) miRNA genes with a total of 333 (∼ 5%) singleton miRNA genes were identified. We found miRNA-CNVs across the genomes of individuals showing multiple hits in many targets, co-regulated under the same pathway. This study proposes four mechanisms unraveling the many complexities in miRNA genes, targets and co-regulated miRNA genes towards establishment of phenotypic diversity.
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