MyMIR: a genome-wide microRNA targets identification and annotation tool

miRNA target genes prediction represents a crucial step in miRNAs functional characterization. In this context, the challenging issue remains predictions accuracy and recognition of false positive results. In this paper MyMir, a web based system for increasing reliability of miRNAs predicted targets lists, is presented. It implements a useful pipeline to generate and narrow down predictions list. The system relies on data and knowledge-base, suitably integrated in order to enable targeted genes annotations and to focalize the search on over-represented terms. Validation results show a dramatic reduction in the number of predictions and an increase in the specificity of targets prediction, if compared to other methods. This allows not only to improve prediction accuracy but even to infer hypothesis on miRNAs functional involvement.