23 May 2008. Microdeletions at chromosome 22q11 that are associated with schizophrenia in humans alter the production of gene-regulating microRNAs in mice, according to a new report in the May 11 issue of Nature Genetics. The work, from Joseph Gogos and Maria Karayiorgou of Columbia University, New York, zeroes in on deletion of the microRNA-processing gene Dgcr8 as responsible for changes in m...

MicroRNAs (miRNA) are a recently discovered family of short non-protein-coding RNAs that negatively regulate gene expression. Recent studies of miRNAs highlight a requirement for cell viability. Posttranscriptional silencing of target genes by miRNAs occurs either by targeting specific cleavage of homologous mRNAs, or by targeting specific inhibition of protein synthesis. We recently identified...

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) directly and indirectly affect tumorigenesis. To be able to perform their myriad roles, miRNA machinery genes, such as Drosha, DGCR8, Dicer1, XPO5, TRBP, and AGO2, must generate precise miRNAs. These genes have specific expression patterns, protein-binding partners, and biochemical capabilities in different cancers. Our preliminary analysis of data from The Cancer Genome Atla...