TY - JOUR AU - Liu, Xiaoshuang AU - Zang, Xinyuan AU - Feng, Helian AU - Zhao, Quan AU - Zhang, Chenyu AU - Wang, Jin PY - 2019 DA - 2019/05/09 TI - Initial function of microRNAs as a defence mechanism against invading organisms JO - ExRNA SP - 30 VL - 1 IS - 1 AB - Although microRNA (miRNA) regulation is widely considered as a mechanism to regulate gene expression in metazoans, plants and viruses, there are recent reports that show the interaction between viruses and their mammal hosts via miRNAs produced from both sides. MiRNAs are highly conserved among mammals, whereas the early miRNAs seem to be more diverse, implying a dynamic functional evolution of miRNAs in the early species. To obtain an evolution landscape of miRNA function and elucidate the initial function of miRNAs, we investigated the targets of miRNAs in the viral system and among metazoan species. SN - 2398-0060 UR - https://doi.org/10.1186/s41544-019-0018-9 DO - 10.1186/s41544-019-0018-9 ID - Liu2019 ER -