Mir-2 Micro RNA Precursor - Targets of Mir-2/mir-13

Targets of Mir-2/mir-13

Mir-2 microRNAs in Drosophila specifically target three pro-apoptotic genes: rpr, grim and skl. The repression of rpr and grim by the Hox gene ABD-B prevents apoptosis in neural cells. On the other hand, computational prediction of microRNA targets show that mir-2 may target neural genes in both Drosophila and Caenorhabditis elegans. All this suggests a conserved role of mir-2 in neural development and maintenance. However, further experiments are required to confirm this association.