microRNA Gene Finding and Target Prediction - Basic Principles and Challenges

Abstract

Understanding regulative potential and biological significance of miRNAs relies on our ability to correctly identify their target genes. Many experimental and computational efforts have been made to identify miRNA targets. However, reliable microRNA target prediction is still unsolved computational challenge. In this review we will focus on the basic principles and assumptions on which are based current computational approaches for finding and target prediction of miRNAs as well as the challenges for their future development.