MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are the best-known short non-coding RNAs involved in the regulation of genetic expression in plants and animals. Based on the sequence similarity of mature miRNAs and their precursors, miRNAs are classified into families. It is commonly believed that miRNAs belonging to one family interact with the same transcripts and function interchangeably as regulators of the same biological processes. However, new evidence suggests that this is not always the case, and even identical miRNAs arising from different precursors may perform different functions in the cell.

Currently used methods do not allow for distinguishing identical or very similar miRNAs originating from different precursors, which hinders the study of the unique functions of these miRNAs. Researchers from ICHB PAS under the direction of Dr. Anna Kurzynska-Kokorniak (Dr. Natalia Koralewska, Mr. Marek Milewski, Dr. Agnieszka Szczepanska, Prof. Ryszard Kierzek, Prof. Marek Figlerowicz) have developed a new strategy using short 2′-OMe/LNA modified oligonucleotides to selectively manipulate the production of individual members of miRNA families and, in collaboration with Dr. Marie-Laure Baudet’s team from the University of Trento (Italy), demonstrated its effectiveness in vivo in the clawed frog (Xenopus laevis) model.

Publication link: https://academic.oup.com/nar/advance-article/doi/10.1093/nar/gkae284/7659301