MicroRNA-mediated Metabolism

[Guest guest]

MicroRNA-mediated Metabolism

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=37795

In the February 15th issue of G & D, Drs. Aurelio Teleman and

Cohen (EMBL) assign one of the first biological functions to an

animal microRNA: the microRNA miR-278 regulates energy homeostasis in

Drosophila.

In their paper, the authors show that flies lacking miR-278 have

reduced insulin sensitivity, elevated circulating blood glucose

levels and are markedly lean. Drs. Teleman and Cohen determined that

miR-278 functions normally to regulate insulin sensitivity through

modulation of the expanded transcript.

Dr. Cohen notes that " In view of the large number of miRNA genes and

the much larger numbers of targets that they regulate, it will be of

interest to learn whether other aspects of metabolism are also under

miRNA control. "