Since their discovery, microRNAs became prominent candidates providing missing links on how to explain the developmental and phenotypical variation within one species or among different species. In addition, microRNAs were implicated in diseases such as neurodegeneration and cancer. More recently, the regulation of animal behavior was shown to be influenced by microRNAs. In spite of their numerous functions, only a few microRNAs were discovered by using classic genetic approaches. Due to the very mild or redundant phenotypes of most microRNAs or their genomic location within introns of other genes many regulatory microRNAs were missed. In this review, we focus on three microRNAs first identified in a forward genetic screen in invertebrates for their essential function in animal development, namely bantam, let-7, and miR-279. All three are essential for survival, are not located in introns of other genes, and are highly conserved among species. We highlight their important functions in the nervous system and discuss their emerging roles, especially during nervous system disease and behavior.
Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutical Science
2
6%
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
2
6%
Other
2
6%
Unknown
4
11%
Attention Score in Context
Attention Score in Context
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 1. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 20 January 2014.
All research outputs
#20,656,161
of 25,373,627 outputs
Outputs from Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience
#2,628
of 3,335 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#228,815
of 288,991 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience
#30
of 40 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 25,373,627 research outputs across all sources so far. This one is in the 10th percentile – i.e., 10% of other outputs scored the same or lower than it.
So far Altmetric has tracked 3,335 research outputs from this source. They typically receive a little more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 6.2. This one is in the 14th percentile – i.e., 14% of its peers scored the same or lower than it.
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We're also able to compare this research output to 40 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one is in the 15th percentile – i.e., 15% of its contemporaries scored the same or lower than it.
