miRNet—Functional analysis and visual exploration of miRNA–target interactions in a network context

Abstract

To gain functional insights into microRNAs (miRNAs), researchers usually look for pathways or biological processes that are overrepresented in their target genes. The interpretation is often complicated by the fact that a single miRNA can target many genes and multiple miRNAs can regulate a single gene. Here we introduce miRNet (www.mirnet.ca), an easy-to-use web-based tool designed for creation, customization, visual exploration and functional interpretation of miRNA–target interaction networks. By integrating multiple high-quality miRNA-target data sources and advanced statistical methods into a powerful network visualization system, miRNet allows researchers to easily navigate the complex landscape of miRNA–target interactions to obtain deep biological insights. This tutorial provides a step-by-step protocol on how to use miRNet to create miRNA–target networks for visual exploration and functional analysis from different types of data inputs.