Genome-wide microRNA target gene identification and annotation using multiple prediction algorithms

A complex array of miRNAs is deregulated in disease-related hypertrophy of the postnatal heart; reactivation of the fetal microRNA program seems to substantially contribute to alterations of gene expression and translation. The prediction of target genes may represent an approach to study the function of the related miRNAs. Because the structural variability of duplex the approaches currently used identify a subset very small compared to the number of real targets. The purpose of the project consist of build-up a protocol which can generate a pattern of target genes associated with a specific miRNA. We have developed a strategy for scanning a 3'-UTR data set against miRNA, through the use of multiple methods of target prediction. The list of target genes needs to be characterized by association with gene ontology terms and by pathway analysis, in order to allow the assignment of miRNA to well defined functional patterns.