miRglmm: a generalized linear mixed model of isomiR-level counts improves estimation of miRNA-level differential expression and uncovers variable differential expression between isomiRs

Abstract MicroRNA-seq data is produced by aligning small RNA sequencing reads of different microRNA transcript isoforms, called isomiRs, to known microRNAs. Aggregation to microRNA-level counts discards information and violates core assumptions of differential expression methods developed for mRNA-s...

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Main Authors: Andrea M. Baran, Arun H. Patil, Ernesto Aparicio-Puerta, Seong-Hwan Jun, Marc K. Halushka, Matthew N. McCall
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-04-01
Series:Genome Biology
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s13059-025-03549-y
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author Andrea M. Baran
Arun H. Patil
Ernesto Aparicio-Puerta
Seong-Hwan Jun
Marc K. Halushka
Matthew N. McCall
author_facet Andrea M. Baran
Arun H. Patil
Ernesto Aparicio-Puerta
Seong-Hwan Jun
Marc K. Halushka
Matthew N. McCall
author_sort Andrea M. Baran
collection DOAJ
description Abstract MicroRNA-seq data is produced by aligning small RNA sequencing reads of different microRNA transcript isoforms, called isomiRs, to known microRNAs. Aggregation to microRNA-level counts discards information and violates core assumptions of differential expression methods developed for mRNA-seq data. We establish miRglmm, a differential expression method for microRNA-seq data, that uses a generalized linear mixed model of isomiR-level counts, facilitating detection of miRNA with differential expression or differential isomiR usage. We demonstrate that miRglmm outperforms current differential expression methods in estimating differential expression for miRNA, whether or not there is differential isomiR usage, and simultaneously provides estimates of isomiR-level differential expression.
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issn 1474-760X
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spelling doaj-art-b1b8edea71cc472cb9e22dd3306298a52025-08-20T02:19:58ZengBMCGenome Biology1474-760X2025-04-0126112110.1186/s13059-025-03549-ymiRglmm: a generalized linear mixed model of isomiR-level counts improves estimation of miRNA-level differential expression and uncovers variable differential expression between isomiRsAndrea M. Baran0Arun H. Patil1Ernesto Aparicio-Puerta2Seong-Hwan Jun3Marc K. Halushka4Matthew N. McCall5Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, University of Rochester Medical CenterLieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins UniversityDepartment of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, University of Rochester Medical CenterDepartment of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, University of Rochester Medical CenterInstitute of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Cleveland ClinicDepartment of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, University of Rochester Medical CenterAbstract MicroRNA-seq data is produced by aligning small RNA sequencing reads of different microRNA transcript isoforms, called isomiRs, to known microRNAs. Aggregation to microRNA-level counts discards information and violates core assumptions of differential expression methods developed for mRNA-seq data. We establish miRglmm, a differential expression method for microRNA-seq data, that uses a generalized linear mixed model of isomiR-level counts, facilitating detection of miRNA with differential expression or differential isomiR usage. We demonstrate that miRglmm outperforms current differential expression methods in estimating differential expression for miRNA, whether or not there is differential isomiR usage, and simultaneously provides estimates of isomiR-level differential expression.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13059-025-03549-ymicroRNAisomiRDifferential expressionMixed modelAggregationmiRNA-seq
spellingShingle Andrea M. Baran
Arun H. Patil
Ernesto Aparicio-Puerta
Seong-Hwan Jun
Marc K. Halushka
Matthew N. McCall
miRglmm: a generalized linear mixed model of isomiR-level counts improves estimation of miRNA-level differential expression and uncovers variable differential expression between isomiRs
Genome Biology
microRNA
isomiR
Differential expression
Mixed model
Aggregation
miRNA-seq
title miRglmm: a generalized linear mixed model of isomiR-level counts improves estimation of miRNA-level differential expression and uncovers variable differential expression between isomiRs
title_full miRglmm: a generalized linear mixed model of isomiR-level counts improves estimation of miRNA-level differential expression and uncovers variable differential expression between isomiRs
title_fullStr miRglmm: a generalized linear mixed model of isomiR-level counts improves estimation of miRNA-level differential expression and uncovers variable differential expression between isomiRs
title_full_unstemmed miRglmm: a generalized linear mixed model of isomiR-level counts improves estimation of miRNA-level differential expression and uncovers variable differential expression between isomiRs
title_short miRglmm: a generalized linear mixed model of isomiR-level counts improves estimation of miRNA-level differential expression and uncovers variable differential expression between isomiRs
title_sort mirglmm a generalized linear mixed model of isomir level counts improves estimation of mirna level differential expression and uncovers variable differential expression between isomirs
topic microRNA
isomiR
Differential expression
Mixed model
Aggregation
miRNA-seq
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s13059-025-03549-y
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