Computational prediction of miRNA regulation in Asian Citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri, life stages

MicroRNAs (miRNA) are small RNA molecules involved in the post-transcriptional regulation mechanism RNA interference (RNAi). Unlike other small RNAs such as small interfering RNA’s (siRNA), miRNAs are encoded in genomes. For this reason it is theorized that miRNAs play a key role in developmental regulation. In this study, the targets of 133 mature miRNAs in transcriptomes of three Asian Citrus Psyllid(Diaphorina citri) life stages were predicted using themiRanda algorithm. The putative targets were then identified using BLAST2GO annotation. miRNAs appear to show life stage specific activity. Overall importance of miRNAs is variable between life stages. Predicted miRNA targeting is fairly broad. Many potential targets for pest-management purposes have been found. Including DNA repair regulation.