MicroRNA and microRNA target database
This is a compilation of databases, web portals, and servers used for cataloging microRNAs and their targets. MicroRNAs represent an important class of small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression by targeting and binding to messenger RNAs.
The binding between each microRNA and the selected mRNA occurs within the RNA-induced silencing complex and leads to decreased protein expression through translational repression and/or mRNA degradation. Since target recognition occurs through base pairing, several prediction models have been developed which aim to predict potential mRNA targets based on sequence complementarity and other features
These resources must be distinguished from databases that collect observed experimental interactions. Moreover, experimental evidence can be deduced from high-throughput experiments, which collect vast amounts of data but tend to be more error-prone, and low-throughput experiments, in which a single mRNA target or a few targets are tested. Although considerable efforts have been made to standardize annotation vocabulary and RNA identifiers to support data integration and improve clarity for readers, significant discrepancies in annotation criteria still exist across databases, making it difficult for users to determine what constitutes a bona fide interactor.