MicroRNAs are an extensive class of small non-coding RNAs with mature transcripts of 18 to 25 nucleotides. They act as post-transcriptional repressors of gene expression, and are highly conserved across species. Many conserved miRNAs are expressed early in development, and miRNAs are essential for viability in mouse and zebrafish. However, the exact biological roles of individual miRNAs are largely unknown. Therefore, I am working on determining the developmental function of several of these miRNAs in the developmental system of Xenopus tropicalis. I have begun to ascertain the spatial and temporal expression patterns of Xenopus miRNAs by in situ hybridization (see pictures below), with special focus on those expressed in the brain and eye. Furthermore, I am doing functional characterization of miRNAs with overexpression and gene knockdown strategies.
