Current knowledge of microRNA characterization in agricultural animals.

MicroRNA (miRNA) is a class of single-stranded small (19-24nt) regulatory RNA that silences gene expression post-transcriptionally. miRNAs regulate a wide range of biological processes through the recognition of complementary sequences between miRNAs and their target genes. Profiling studies in livestock have revealed that many miRNAs are species- and tissue-specific, indicating that miRNAs play important roles in essential biological processes in livestock, such as muscle and organ development, the immune response and metabolism. The allelic variation of miRNA target sites and possibly in miRNAs themselves are also likely to be contributing factors to many phenotypic differences in livestock. In this review, we summarize the current miRNA studies undertaken in livestock.