miRNA TARGETS
The present invention provides systems for identifying, isolating, and/or characterizing targets of micro RNAs.
1 . A method comprising steps of:
providing a cell that contains an miRNA of interest; and
identifying one or more RNAs that interact with the miRNA in the cell.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of identifying comprises isolating miRNA-RNA complexes.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the miRNA is miR-24.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of identifying comprises determining that the one or more interacting RNAs is enriched in miRNA-RNA complexes as compared with its cellular expression level.
5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising a step of:
analyzing the one or more interacting RNAs by a technique selected from the group consisting of: reverse transcription (RT), polymerase chain reaction (PCR), sequence analysis, expression level analysis, network analysis, and combinations thereof.
6 . A target RNA identified according to the method of claim 1 .
7 . A kit comprising components for performing the method of claim 1 .
8 . The kit of claim 6 , comprising one or more components selected from the group consisting of: nucleic acid standards, reagents for labeling miRNAs, reagents for quantifying degree of target RNA enrichment relative to cellular expression levels, and combinations thereof.
9 . The kit of claim 6 , which kit further contains one or more components selected from the group consisting of: nucleic acid polymerases, nucleotides, nucleotide analogs, buffers, antibodies, labels, and combinations thereof.
10 . The kit of claim 6 , which kit further contains one or more components that regulate the concentration or the downstream effects of the one or more interacting RNAs.