Bioinformatics Tools to Study the Role of miRNAs

The application of high-throughput technologies in molecular biology and health sciences has led to the generation of large amounts of experimental data that require the development of sophisticated computational technologies to extract information from these enormous data sets. To address this challenge, various tools and resources have been developed. However, finding the right tool to answer specific research questions accurately and efficiently can be a daunting task. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, noncoding sequences that regulate gene expression posttranscriptionally. These sequences can be found in a wide range of organisms, including viruses and higher eukaryotes. Detecting miRNAs is a complex task that can be compared to finding needles in a haystack. In this chapter, we will review the available literature to guide the techniques that can be used for identifying miRNAs.