MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a type of small single-stranded non-coding RNA molecules of 18 ~ 24 nucleotide (nt) in length. MiRNAs have been found in many species including plants, animals and some viruses. The conventional biosynthesis pathway consists of four steps: 1) miRNA genes are transcribed by RNA Polymerase II or III to produce pri-miRNAs, 2) pri-miRNAs are recognized and cleaved by DGCR8/Drosha complex to form miRNA precursor (pre-miRNA), 3) pre-miRNA hairpins are exported from the nucleus to cytoplasm mediated by nucleocytoplasmic shuttler Exportin-5, 4) in the cytoplasm, the pre-miRNA hairpins are further recognized and cleaved by enzyme Dicer to generate the mature miRNAs.

It is well known that miRNAs are involved in many essential cellular processes, such as cell proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, stress response and tumorigenesis etc. MiRNAs function in RNA silencing and post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression. Mature miRNAs assemble into RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC), guide the complex to target messenger RNAs (mRNAs), and regulate their expression either by cleavage of target mRNA or by translation inhibition.

Creative Biogene is developing stable cell lines overexpressing human / mouse/ rat miRNA precursors covered in the current miRbase. Our miRNA overexpression stable cell lines are constructed by lentivirus transduction or non-viral plasmid transfection of vectors optimized by our scientists to enable expression and maturation of miRNAs inside cells. These cell lines are valuable tools for studying miRNA gain-of-functions and identifying the potential target genes.