Significance

Although miRNAs are emerging as important regulators of diverse physiological and pathological processes, our knowledge of their potential role in regulation of circadian rhythms is still limited. We deployed a cell-based genome-wide screening approach and successfully identified mature miRNAs as cell-autonomous circadian modulators. We then specifically focused on the miR-183/96/182 cluster among the candidate miRNA hits and revealed their circadian function both in vitro and in vivo. This study provides resources for further understanding the role of miRNAs in the circadian network. It also highlights the importance of miRNAs as a genome-wide layer of circadian clock regulation.

New USC study shows ‘junk DNA’ plays a key role in regulating circadian clocks

January 4, 2021

Study suggests the impact of non-coding microRNAs on circadian rhythms is tissue specific and may reveal new insights into disease processes.

By Laura LeBlanc

If you’ve ever had a bad case of jet lag, you know how a disruption to your body’s circadian rhythm makes it difficult to function. Molecular circadian “clocks” exist in cells throughout the body, governing more than just sleep and wake cycles — they are crucial to many aspects of human health. For more than a decade, researchers have been trying to figure out what makes them tick, in search of new insights into diseases like Alzheimer’s, cancer and diabetes. Read more at: https://keck.usc.edu/new-usc-study-shows-junk-dna-plays-a-key-role-in-regulating-circadian-clocks/

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