Identification of conserved microRNAs and their target genes in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) by bioinformatic analysis
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of non-coding RNAs that play important roles in posttranscriptional regulation of target genes. miRNAs are involved in multiple biological processes by degrading targeted mRNAs or repressing mRNA translation in various organisms. Their conserved nature in various organisms makes them a good source of new miRNA discovery using comparative genomic approaches.