miRNAtools: advanced training using the miRNA web of knowledge

Abstract

miRNAs are small non-coding RNAs, that act as negative regulators of the genomic output. Their intrinsic importance within cell biology and human disease is well known. Their mechanism of action based on the base pairing binding to their cognate targets, have helped the development of many computer applications for the prediction of miRNA target recognition. More recently, many other computer applications have appeared with the objective of studying miRNA roles in many contexts, trying to dissect and predict their functions in a specific biological process. Learning about miRNA function needs a practical training in the use of specific computer and web-based applications that are complementary to the wet-lab studies. In the last seven years we have been involved in the organization of advanced training courses about the in silico functional analysis of miRNAs and non-coding RNAs, for students ranging from the postgraduate to the post-doctoral level. In order to guide the learning process about miRNAs, we have created miRNAtools (http://mirnatools.eu), a web repository of miRNA tools and tutorials. This page is a compilation of tools to analyze miRNAs and their regulatory action that intends to collect and organize the information that is dispersed in the web. The miRNAtools webpage is completed by a collection of tutorials that can be used by students and tutors engaged in advanced training courses. The tutorials follow the rationale of the analysis of the function of selected miRNAs, starting from their nomenclature and genomic localization and finishing by assessing their involvement in specific cellular functions.\n\nDESCRIPTION OF THE AUTHORFrancisco J. Enguita is assistant professor at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon and senior investigator at the Instituto de Medicina Molecular within the same University.\n\nKEY POINTSO_LI- We have designed a web-page, mIRNAtools3 (http://mirnatools.eu) specifically devoted for advanced teaching purposes within the miRNA field.\nC_LIO_LI- The webpage constitutes also a repository of web-tools for the analysis of miRNA function in several contexts.\nC_LIO_LI- The webpage contains tutorials that cover many aspects related with miRNAs including nomenclature, target prediction and validation, and functional analysis.\nC_LI