THE FUNCTIONAL STUDIES OF MUSCLE-SPECIFIC MICRORNAS

MicroRNAs are small non-coding RNA molecules that play important roles in the transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression. MicroRNAs have become one of the hotspot issues in molecular biology. Recently several microRNAs have been identified including miR-1, miR-206 and miR-133 that are specifically expressed in muscle cells and may be crucially involved in the development and growth of muscles. Muscles are an important part of body structure as well as a locomotive organ, and they are also the main protein source in aquaculture and animal husbandry. Therefore, functional studies of the roles of muscle-specific microRNAs will help uncover the mechanisms of certain diseases, facilitate medical gene therapy, and provide guidance for the animal husbandry and fishery. In this review we summarized the latest research on miR-1, miR-206 and miR-133 that shed lights on better understanding of their functions in muscle development and growth.