ABSTRACT
Regulation of gene expression in higher eukaryotes has undergone a paradigm shift from an essentially protein factor-based regulatory system to a complex network of different systems involving, not only proteins, but also non-coding RNAs. This has brought in different layers of control, resulting in the fine-tuning of the final expressed product. The major class of regulatory RNAs is microRNA. MiRNAs function through regulation of expression of their cognate target genes and since target genes can also have regulatory role, overall effect of miRNAs can be quite significant. Computational methods have been at the core of miRNA research. Starting from prediction of miRNA genes, expression profiling and target gene identification computational methods have been very useful at every stage. Moreover, theoretical modelling of gene regulatory networks has enhanced our understanding of the mechanism of miRNA function in different cellular processes.
