Mir-7 Micro RNA Precursor

Mir-7 Micro RNA Precursor

This family represents the microRNA (miRNA) precursor mir-7. This miRNA has been predicted or experimentally confirmed in a wide range of species. miRNAs are transcribed as ~70 nucleotide precursors (modelled here) and subsequently processed by the Dicer enzyme to give a ~22 nucleotide product. In this case the mature sequence comes from the 5' arm of the precursor. The extents of the hairpin precursors are not generally known and are estimated based on hairpin prediction. The involvement of Dicer in miRNA processing suggests a relationship with the phenomenon of RNA interference.

Mature miRNA-7 is derived from three microRNA precursors in the human genome, miR-7-1, miR-7-2 and miR-7-3. miRNAs are numbered based on the sequence of the mature RNA.

miR-7 is directly regulated by the transcription factor HoxD10.

miRNAs are thought to have regulatory roles through complementarity to mRNA. miR-7 is essential for the maintenance of regulatory stability under conditions of environmental flux. It plays an important role in controlling mRNA expression. The miR-7 gene is found in most sequenced Urbilateria species, and the sequence of its mature miRNA product is perfectly conserved from annelids to humans, indicating a strong functional conservation.