Journal of
Bioinformatics and Sequence Analysis

  • Abbreviation: J. Bioinform. Seq. Anal.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 2141-2464
  • DOI: 10.5897/JBSA
  • Start Year: 2009
  • Published Articles: 49

Review

Avian influenza and micro RNA: Role of bioinformatics

Pankaj Koparde1 and Shailza Singh2*
  1Institute of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, University of Pune, Pune -411007, India. 2National Centre for Cell Science, Pune University Campus, Pune -411007, India.
Email: [email protected]

  •  Accepted: 01 June 2010
  •  Published: 28 February 2011

Abstract

 

Avian influenza virus is a major cause of influenza all over the world. Influenza virus being a RNA virus shows high mutation rates, antigenic shift and drift. These phenomena contribute to ineffective chemotherapy against influenza viruses. Recent advances in the current therapy, drugs and vaccines are restricted with many factors such as toxicity, complexity, cost and resistance. New technologies particularly RNA interference (RNAi) mediated by microRNA (miRNA) have become more and more interesting and effective therapeutic entities to silence pathogenic gene products associated with viral infections. Today, RNAi technology is a leading technology in sequence specific therapeutics. The flexibility of miRNAs in function makes them good candidates for use in sequence specific therapeutics. Although, miRNAs have been shown to be useful in combating against viral infections, there are problems associated with miRNA prediction, designing and function. Following review focuses on avian influenza virus (H5N1), the role of miRNAs in its pathophysiology and the computational prediction of miRNAs as antiviral therapeutics.

 

Key words: Avian influenza, miRNA, sequence specific therapeutics.