Mir-8/mir-141/mir-200 Micro RNA Precursor Family

Mir-8/mir-141/mir-200 Micro RNA Precursor Family

The miR-8 microRNA precursor (homologous to miR-141, miR-200, miR-236), is a short non-coding RNA gene involved in gene regulation. miR-8 in Drosophila melanogaster is expressed from the 3' arm of related precursor hairpins (represented here), along with miR-200, miR-236, miR-429 and human and mouse homolog miR-141. Members of this precursor family have now been predicted or experimentally confirmed in a wide range of species. The bounds of the precursors are predicted based on conservation and base pairing and are not generally known.

The miR-200 family is highly conserved in bilaterian animals, with miR-8 as the sole homolog in Drosophila. This species has accordingly been used heavily in work looking to uncover the biological function of the miR-200 family. miR-8 has been observed at all developmental stages of the embryo, with a complete absence from cultured S2 cells of D. melanogaster. Its expression has been seen to be strongly upregulated in larvae and this expression then sustained through to adulthood.