中文摘要：

MicroRNA （miRNA）是20世纪90年代发现的一类由内源基因编码的长度约21-24 nt的非编码单链RNA分子， 广泛存在于真核生物中， 对基因的转录后调控起着非常重要的作用。本文简要介绍了miRNA的产生与调控机制， 同时从昆虫miRNA的发现鉴定、 靶基因预测与功能验证， 昆虫miRNA的序列特征与进化， 果蝇和非果蝇类昆虫miRNA生物学功能以及供昆虫miRNA研究的网络平台等方面对昆虫miRNA的最新进展进行了综述， 旨在为进一步研究昆虫miRNA提供借鉴和参考。对昆虫miRNA的研究表明其参与调控细胞分化、 增殖及凋亡、 胚胎发育、 器官发生、 形态构建、 生理代谢、 环境协调、 行为认知、 免疫防御等几乎所有的生物过程。因此， 深入研究其生物功能、 调控网络和开发应用等可能成为今后一段时间昆虫miRNA研究的重要内容。

英文摘要：

MicroRNAs （miRNAs）, a class of short （21-24 nt） non-coding single-stranded RNA molecules, are encoded by endogenous genes found in the 1990s. They play critical roles in gene expression and regulation through translational inhibition or mRNA degradation in eukaryotes. In this article, we briefly summarized miRNA biogenesis and its regulation mechanism, and reviewed the recent progress in identification of insect miRNAs, their target gene predication and function verification, sequence characteristics and evolution, their biological functions on Drosophila and non-drosphilid insects, available network platform and so on, to provide references for further research. Researches on insect miRNAs showed that they are involved in almost every biological process including cell differentiation, cell proliferation, cell apoptosis, embryogenesis, organogenesis, morphogenesis, physiological metabolism, environmental coordination, cognitive behavior and immune defense. So, the indepth study of their biological functions, regulation and application would become the important aspects in the future.